Diligence
Etymology
From Latin "diligentia" (attentiveness, care), from "diligere" (to value highly, esteem, love), which is "dis-" (apart) plus "legere" (to choose, gather, read) — literally "to single out." The surprising heart of the word is love: diligence is the care that flows from prizing something. We are diligent about what we hold dear.
noun · /DIL-uh-juhns/
Steady, careful effort and attentiveness in one’s work or duty.
What it names
Reach for it to name conscientious thoroughness — the care that checks the detail others skip because it treats the task as worth getting right.
Example
Her diligence caught the misplaced decimal that would have cost the firm millions.
Related idea
Industriousness stresses sheer quantity of hard work; diligence stresses the care and attentiveness within it. One can be industrious yet sloppy — busy but not diligent.