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View synonyms for

minutiae

[mi-noo-shee-ee, -nyoo-, mi-noo-shuh, -shee-uh]

plural noun

singular

minutia 
  1. precise details; small or trifling matters.

    the minutiae of his craft.



minutiae

/ ɪˈːʃɪˌː /

plural noun

  1. small, precise, or trifling details

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

Minutia, the singular form meaning “a precise detail; a small or trifling matter” is much less common than the plural. However, this singular form is often used in place of the plural form minutiae , with the same plural meaning and plural verb: She has a great facility for remembering minutia that are relevant to the conversation. And the plural form minutiae is sometimes used as a collective noun with a singular verb: The minutiae of daily life is the stuff that anchors us and gives us a sense of purpose. Both of these usages have been criticized in style guides.
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Other Word Forms

  • minutial adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of minutiae1

First recorded in 1745–55; from Latin, plural of ūپ “smallness, fineness,” equivalent to ū(ܲ) “small, tiny” + -ia; minute 2, -ia
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Word History and Origins

Origin of minutiae1

C18: pl of Late Latin ūپ smallness, from Latin ūٳܲ minute ²
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“People who get really into the minutiae may point out that there are a couple of instances … where we bent those rules a little bit,” Macaulay says.

From

they are working on during this particular rehearsal is the minutiae of the blocking.

From

It’s that realism has been confused with reality, and I worry that actors and writers are losing sight of the experience of living by zooming in on psychological minutiae.

From

Get into the minutiae: what times do you typically wake up and go to bed?

From

In addition, fact-checking can create an environment where “the accumulation of verifiable minutiae can become an end unto itself.”

From

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