Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties; industrious and persistent.
The Full Story
Latin14th centurywell-attested
From OldFrench 'diligent,' from Latin 'dīligentem' (present participle of 'dīligere,' to value highly, to esteem, to love), from 'dis-' (apart, expressing intensification) + 'legere' (to choose, to gather, to read). The original meaning was 'choosing carefully' — selecting with care and attention. From careful selection, the meaning broadened to careful, attentive work in general. PIE root *leǵ- (to gather, to collect) underlies
Did you know?
'Diligent' and 'dilettante' are surprisingly close relatives — both come from Latin wordsmeaning 'to delight in' or 'to value.' A diligent person works carefully because they value the task; a dilettante (from Italian) dabbles because they delight in many things without mastering any.
what to gather) from the novice. Key roots: dis- (Latin: "apart"), legere (Latin: "to choose, to gather, to read"), *leǵ- (Proto-Indo-European: "to gather, to collect").