Word of the Day, March 13: 'Conscientious'

Word of the day: CONSCIENTIOUS
Pronunciation: con·sci·en·tious UK/ˌkɒn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs/ and US/ˌkɑːn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs/

Meaning:
'Conscientious' means being very careful, responsible, and guided by a strong sense of right and wrong. 

Example for daily usage:

• She is a conscientious worker who always completes her tasks on time.
• The nurse was conscientious about checking every patient carefully.

Origin and history:

"Conscientious" originates from the early 17th-century French word "consciencieux", which is derived from the Medieval Latin "conscientiosus". It is ultimately rooted in the Latin conscientia, meaning "knowledge within oneself" or "conscience" Latin: conscientia → conscience

Also read word of the day.

Cultural significance and modern usage:

Conscientious behaviour is crucial for the establishment of trust in fields like medicine, journalism, and education. It is often associated with responsible citizenship, and higher regional conscientiousness correlates with increased life expectancy, higher marriage rates, and lower mortality.

It is one of the "Big Five" personality traits (Five-Factor Model) used to measure how responsible and organised individuals are.

A long-term study by psychologist Lewis Terman indicated that high conscientiousness is a strong predictor of a long life.

Political Correlation: Studies have indicated a correlation between higher conscientiousness and conservative political attitudes.

Employers favour conscientious workers for their reliability, high ethical standards, and ability to complete tasks with meticulous care.

"Conscientious consumption" is a major modern usage, referring to mindful buying that considers environmental and ethical impacts

Historically and presently used to describe someone who refuses to serve in the armed forces or perform certain actions due to moral or religious beliefs.

There is a perception that being conscientious is a critical, yet fading, life skill, often overlooked in a fast-paced, "shortcut" culture.

Interesting facts:

• The word "conscientious" is often confused with "conscious".
• Studies show conscientious people often perform better academically and professionally.
• Many learners struggle with spelling it because of the “science” sound inside the word.

Examples from literature:

• No offence to Frank, but after the fiasco at Fort Sumter Leo had become a conscientious objector to riding giant eagles.- Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
• Benjamin Britten enjoyed an extended holiday in America, while Michael Tippett, a conscientious objector, produced an eloquent and moving wartime plea for unfashionable pacifism in his oratorio A Child of Our Time.- The Story of Music by Howard Goodall
• She saw him as a “conscientious officer” who was in desperate need of help, and she listened to what he had to say.- The Woman All Spies Fear by Amy Butler Greenfield

Synonyms:

• Honorable
• Ethical
• Moral
• Honest

Antonyms:

• Dishonorable
• Unworthy
• Unjust
• Ignoble
• Unethical

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