The term anal-retentive -LRB- or anally retentive , anal retentive -RRB- , commonly abbreviated to `` anal '' , is used conversationally to describe a person with such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others , and can be carried out to the detriment of the anal-retentive person .

The words anal-retentive -LRB- or anally retentive , anal retentive -RRB- , often shortened to `` anal '' , are used in everyday language to describe a person with such a lot of attention to detail that the obsession becomes annoying to other people .
