pedantic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Tending to show off one’s knowledge, often in a tiresome manner.

   They had heard people call things pedantic, which they did not think were so ; for instance, a boy had once said that Harry himself was a pedant, for talking of the siege of Syracuse, and of the machines used there, because the boy knew nothing about them, and disliked reading. "Then you perceive," said his mother, "that the meaning of the word varies with the different degrees of knowledge of those who use it. I remember when it was thought pedantic for a woman to talk of some books, which are now the subject of common conversation. Sometimes old-fashioned learning, and sometimes useless learning, is called pedantry; and it is generally thought pedantic to produce any kind of learning that is so unusual, that it is not likely that the company is acquainted with it, or can be pleased by it. In short, pedantry may be said to be an ill-timed parade of knowledge."

2. 2
   adj

   marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects

3. 3
   adj

   Being overly concerned with formal rules and trivial points of learning, like a pedant.

Etymology

From pedant + -ic.