English Dictionary
Definition of “cursory”
cursory (ˈkɜːsərɪ
)
Definitions
adjective
- hasty and usually superficial; quick ⇒
a cursory check
Alternative Forms
ˈcursorily adverb ˈcursoriness noun Word Origin
C17: from Late Latin cursōrius of running, from Latin cursus a course, from currere to run
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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brief,
passing,
rapid,
casual,
summary,
slight,
hurried,
careless,
superficial,
hasty,
perfunctory,
desultory,
offhand,
slapdash,
Usage examples
Much to his surprise, nobody gave him more than a cursory glance.
Clive Barker, COLDHEART CANYON (2001)A cursory look at the data on unit holding patterns, shows that corporate holdings have steadily declined.
Business Today (2001)But the IAEA blew the allegation apart in March after a cursory investigation.
New Zealand Herald (2003)Even a cursory glance around the nursery playground will tell you this.
Sun, News of the World (2001)A cursory search on the Internet will show the curious observer how many outr theories exist about the drowned kingdom.
Richard Fortey, THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)
