hairsplitting

Noun · Adjective
Synonyms: word-splittingfinespun

Open English WordNet

Noun (1)

  1. making too fine distinctions of little importance“they didn't take his hairsplitting seriously”Synonyms: word-splittingType of differentiation, distinction

Adjective (1)

  1. developed in excessively fine detail“finespun distinctions”Synonyms: finespunOpposite impreciseSimilar precise
Word of the day · Oct 10About this word
dilapidatedadjective

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Hair′split′ting (-tĭng), adjective

Making excessively fine or trivial distinctions in reasoning; overly subtle. — noun The act or practice of making trivial distinctions.

The ancient hairsplitting technicalities of special pleading.— Charles Sumner

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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