de minimis

American  

[duh min-uh-mis, dey] / də ˈmɪn ə mɪs, deɪ /

1. pertaining to minimal or trivial things; small, minor, or insignificant; negligible.

   De minimis gifts to employees are not subject to taxation.

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Usage

What does de minimis mean? De minimis means so small or inconsequential as to not be worthy of attention.De minimis is typically used in a legal context in regard to things that are not important or significant enough to be bound by rules or regulations. It is often used in phrases like de minimis rule or de minimis exemption. Like many other technical legal terms, de minimis comes from Latin.Example: Amounts that low are considered de minimis, so they don’t need to be reported as taxable income.

Etymology

Origin of de minimis

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The end of the de minimis exemption exposed millions of packages to tariffs as well as more-extensive documentation requirements.

From The Wall Street Journal

Exports of low-value packages to the U.S. have dropped more than 40% since the start of May, when Chinese packages worth less than $800 became subject to U.S. tariffs due to the closure of a customs loophole known as the de minimis rule.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since the de minimis closure, e-commerce exports to the U.S. are increasingly counted in formal trade categories like apparel.

From The Wall Street Journal

He says Shein enjoys an unfair advantage by using the de minimis loophole to import their goods—and is bad for the environment to boot.

From The Wall Street Journal

More shoppers are likely to encounter that scenario this holiday season — the first without the de minimis tax exemption, a nearly century-old rule that allowed low-value goods to enter the U.S. tariff-free.

From MarketWatch