Word of the Day: SCRUPULOUS

Doing the right thing because the wrong thing hurts

scrupulous (adj) - precise, thorough, and attentive to detail; unwaveringly committed to moral or ethical standards [skroo-pyuh-luhs]

• scruples are principles, considerations, or rules of conduct that keep one from doing something wrong; a moral compass or code of ethics

BREAKDOWN: The word scrupulous basically means full of scruples, but what exactly is a scruple? In Latin, scrupulus described a small sharp stone, the kind of irritating pebble that finds a way into your shoe during a hike and drives you crazy. This eventually translated to a more metaphorical meaning as a source of uneasiness or anxiety and ultimately a deterrent to wrong action.

“It is possible that the scrupulously honest man may not grow rich so fast as the unscrupulous and dishonest one; but the success will be of a truer kind, earned without fraud or injustice. And even though a man should for a time be unsuccessful, still he must be honest: better lose all and save character. For character is itself a fortune.” —Samuel Smiles

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]