omhyggelig

Omhyggelig is a Danish adjective meaning careful, conscientious, and thorough. It describes people who take care to avoid mistakes, attend to detail, and plan tasks with diligence, as well as actions, plans, or processes that are carried out with close attention to detail. The term is commonly used in neutral or formal contexts to characterize professional or methodical behavior, for example a omhyggelig plan or et omhyggeligt udført arbejde.

The adverbial form is omhyggeligt, used to describe how something is done. The comparative and superlative forms are mere omhyggelig and mest omhyggelig. The noun form is omhyggelighed, referring to the quality of being conscientious or thorough.

Etymology-wise, omhyggelig is formed with the prefix om- added to hyggelig, a word more often associated with coziness. In modern Danish usage, however, omhyggelig denotes thoroughness and carefulness rather than a cozy atmosphere. This distinction helps prevent confusion with hyggelig, which describes mood or ambiance rather than method or accuracy.

Usage notes: omhyggelig is typically used to describe actions (e.g., careful preparation, thorough documentation) or people (e.g., an omhyggelig colleague). It is common in professional writing, academic contexts, and everyday speech when emphasizing diligence, precision, and reliability.

See also: hyggelig, grundig, nøje.