perfunctory
Use Perfunctory in a sentence
tə adjective
1.
performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial: perfunctory courtesy.
2.
lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic: In his lectures he reveals himself to be merely a perfunctory speaker.
Origin:
1575–85; < Late Latin perfūnctōrius negligent, superficial, derivative of perfungī to do one's job, be done, equivalent to per- per- + fung-, base of fungī to perform, function + -tōrius -tory1
1575–85; < Late Latin perfūnctōrius negligent, superficial, derivative of perfungī to do one's job, be done, equivalent to per- per- + fung-, base of fungī to perform, function + -tōrius -tory1
Related forms
per·func·to·ri·ly, adverb
per·func·to·ri·ness, noun
Synonyms
1, 2. negligent, heedless, thoughtless, uninterested.
1, 2. negligent, heedless, thoughtless, uninterested.
Antonyms
1, 2. careful, diligent.
1, 2. careful, diligent.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To perfunctory
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Perfunctory
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is garish. Does it mean:
| crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate, as clothes or decoration. |
| extremely irritable or easily angered; irascible: |
Collins
World English Dictionary
perfunctory (pəˈfʌŋktərɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | done superficially, only as a matter of routine; careless or cursory |
| 2. | dull or indifferent |
| [C16: from Late Latin perfunctōrius negligent, from perfunctus dispatched, from perfungī to fulfil; see | |
| per'functorily | |
| —adv | |
| per'functoriness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
perfunctory
1581, from L.L. perfunctorius "careless, negligent," lit. "like one who wishes to get through a thing," from L. perfungus, pp. of perfungi "discharge, get through," from per- "through" + fungi "perform" (see function).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Many of the colleges and community colleges, moreover, fail to provide more than perfunctory courses.
On the shelves the perfumes are arrayed in stout little laboratory bottles with perfunctory white labels.
The press has breathlessly reported on every perfunctory exchange the two have had.
He does it with perfunctory dexterity and a blank expression on his face.
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