Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "mai kama" tana cikin hanyar da ta wuce kima, gano kuskure, ko nufin kama ko rikitar da wani a cikin jayayya. Yana nufin ɗabi’a da galibi ke nuna halin neman laifin komai, ko jayayya ko gardama a cikin ƙaramar hanya ko ƙarama. A wasu kalmomi, captiously yana nufin yin aiki a hanyar da ta wuce kima, mara kyau, da nitpicky.
