hair-splitting

== English == === Etymology === From the gerund form of split hairs === Pronunciation === === Noun === hair-splitting (countable and uncountable, plural hair-splittings) (idiomatic) the act of finding exceedingly small differences which are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people. 2006, Ian Aitken, in The Guardian, Richard Clements Obituary Dick's Tribune poked endless fun at the hair-splitting sectarianism of the various Trotskyist groups jostling on the fringes of the Labour party at that time. ==== Synonyms ==== hair-splittery quibbling pilpul ==== Translations ====