What does perfectionist mean?
A perfectionist is someone who seeks perfection or insists on exceptionally precise, flawless work. The word may describe a demanding craftsman who notices small details, refuses to accept careless results, and continually improves a product or performance. In less favorable contexts, however, it suggests excessive concern with minor flaws, an unwillingness to tolerate error, or standards so exacting that they impede progress or creativity. The term is common in discussion of craftsmanship, editing, design, performance, and personal habits. Because it focuses on the quality associated with perfection, it is sometimes confused with perfectionism: a perfectionist is the person, while perfectionism describes the attitude or practice. Context determines whether the word is approving or gently critical, especially when it appears in phrases such as “a perfectionist at heart” or “perfectionist tendencies.”
nounA person who is excessively concerned with perfection or who expects flawless work and results. The term can be either critical or approving, depending on context.
- A person who seeks perfection, takes exceptional care over details, or insists on flawless work and results.
"With every detail checked twice, she was known as a perfectionist who accepted nothing less than excellence."
"Years of experience had made him a perfectionist who noticed every flaw in the design."
"She dismissed the criticism as the kind of perfectionist thinking that can paralyze a creative team."
The regular plural refers to multiple people known for seeking perfection or working with exceptional exactness.
"The two perfectionists reviewed the manuscript line by line before approving it."
Add -ist to perfection and you get a person; add -ism and you get the whole approach or philosophy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does perfectionist come from?
The word ultimately derives from Latin perfectus, meaning “complete, finished, or faultless.” English perfection came through Old French perfection, and the suffix -ist was added to form a noun denoting a person who pursues or insists upon the quality expressed by the base word. Perfectionist has been used since the early 17th century, initially for someone characterized by strict adherence to an exact standard and later especially for a highly exacting or meticulous person.
Related word forms
How perfectionist is actually used
The word often carries a mildly critical or ironic implication, suggesting standards that may be unrealistic or excessive. It can also be used approvingly to describe someone whose meticulousness produces exceptional work.
Easily confused with perfectionist
A perfectionist is a person, whereas perfectionism is the attitude, habit, or broader tendency of insisting on perfection.