Word
diligent
Phoneticsdili·gent
US/ˈdɪɫɪdʒənt/
UK/dˈɪlɪdʒənt/
Definition
adj. working hard and being very careful to do things correctly. You are diligent when you put a lot of effort into your tasks and don't rush them.
adj. characterised by steady, earnest, and energetic effort in a task or duty. Often used to describe professional or academic conduct.
Examples
“She is a diligent student who always finishes her homework early.”
“The lawyer was diligent in checking every document for errors before the trial began.”
“Through diligent research and careful cross-referencing of historical archives, the biographer uncovered several previously unknown facts about the author's early life.”
Examples
simple
“She is a diligent student who always finishes her homework early.”
contextual
“The lawyer was diligent in checking every document for errors before the trial began.”
complex
“Through diligent research and careful cross-referencing of historical archives, the biographer uncovered several previously unknown facts about the author's early life.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'remain'.
Etymology
From Middle English diligent, from Old French diligent, from Latin dīligēns (“careful, attentive, diligent”), present participle of dīligō (“to love, esteem much”, literally “to choose, select”), from dī-, dis- (“apart”) + legō (“to choose”); see elect and select.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/diligent