Where does “painstaking” come from?
Painstaking comes from the English phrase "taking pains," meaning to expend effort or trouble, first attested in the 16th century as a compound adjective describing meticulous work.
painstaking (English): Carefully attentive to details; diligent in...
Definitions
- Carefully attentive to details; diligent in...
Ancestry of “painstaking”, step by step
painstaking traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English taking
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | taking | Alluring; attractive; Infectious; contagious; The... |
via English pains
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pains | plural of pain; Trouble taken doing something;... |