cursory

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkɜrsəri/ UK /ˈkɜːsəri/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
hasty and superficial, lacking thoroughness

A cursory glance at the report missed the key error.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · hasty and superficial,... hasty superficial perfunctorycursorialfleeting brief

Opposites

thorough careful detailed meticulous

Word family

Forms cursorily

Derived forms cursorilycursoriness

Related forms cursor coursecurrere

Etymology

From Late Latin cursorius ('of running, hasty'), from Latin cursor ('runner'), from currere ('to run').

cursorius Late Latin currere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# cursory

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈkɜrsəri
**IPA (UK):** ˈkɜːsəri

## Meanings
1. hasty and superficial, lacking thoroughness

## Examples
- A cursory glance at the report missed the key error.

## Synonyms
- hasty
- superficial
- perfunctory
- cursorial
- fleeting
- brief

## Antonyms
- thorough
- careful
- detailed
- meticulous

## Derived Forms
- cursorily
- cursoriness

## Related Forms
- cursor
- course
- currere

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cursorius
- Root: currere

## Etymology
From Late Latin cursorius ('of running, hasty'), from Latin cursor ('runner'), from currere ('to run').

## AI Etymology
Cursory is from Late Latin cursorius ('of running, hasty'), from Latin cursor ('runner'), from currere ('to run'). In present-day use, it means hasty and superficial, lacking thoroughness. Derived formations include cursorily and cursoriness. Related vocabulary includes cursor, course, and currere.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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