hair-splitting

== English == === Alternative forms === hair splitting, hairsplitting === Etymology === From splitting hairs, q.v. === Pronunciation === === Noun === hair-splitting (countable and uncountable, plural hair-splittings) (idiomatic, derogatory) The act of considering or arguing about exceedingly small differences, fine details, and/or edge cases of no seeming importance, worrying about minutiae. ==== Synonyms ==== hair-splittery, pedantry, quibbling, pilpul, casuistry, casuistics; Jesuitism, Jesuitry (dated, derogatory) ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === hair-splitting (comparative more hair-splitting, superlative most hair-splitting) (idiomatic, derogatory) Of or characterized by hair-splitting, seeking or having exceedingly small differences, fine details, and/or edge cases of no seeming importance, concerning or concerned with minutiae. 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 ==== pedantic, quibbling, casuistic, casuistical; jesuitic, jesuitical (Catholic or dated, derogatory); Talmudic, pilpulic, pilpulistic (Talmudic or derogatory) ==== Derived terms ==== === See also === split hairs, hairsplit, hairsplitter, hair-splittingly