pedantic
adjectiveUK /pɪˈdæn.tɪk/
US /pəˈdæn.tɪk/
Caring too much about small rules and tiny details.
Our pedantic teacher marked the answer wrong because I forgot one comma.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Showing off book learning in a boring, showy way.
His pedantic speech about grammar made everyone yawn.
3. Correcting small mistakes that other people do not care about.
She was pedantic about how the chairs were lined up.
4. Too focused on exact wording rather than the main idea.
The pedantic reading of the rule missed its purpose.