minutiae
Americanplural noun
-
minutia
singular
plural noun
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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of minutiae
First recorded in 1745–55; from Latin, plural of minūtia “smallness, fineness,” equivalent to minūt(us) “small, tiny” + -ia; see origin at minute 2, -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Mr. Tremblay does an excellent job communicating the minutiae of steering Bernie; each new situation is a physical puzzle Julia has to solve.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
At first glance, much of the material appears crushingly mundane: appointments, disputes, military movements, gifts, illnesses and endless administrative minutiae.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
He was known to enjoy pondering economic minutiae while taking lengthy baths to relieve back problems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
Big picture stuff can be just as helpful as the minutiae.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 30, 2026
There were ninety-nine guidelines, all of which we had to memorize, governing the minutiae of inmate life.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
While most of us go about our days, immersed in the minutia our lives, we remain very much a part of something bigger than ourselves, and even bigger than humanity.
From Slate ● Feb. 7, 2025
“I’m not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, these salacious tabloid lies.”
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2024
“I’m worried about the public’s eyes glazing over with all of this minutia, but it matters,” Nelson.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
It’s really hard to get into that vitally important minutia if you’re not there.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2023
Ellen will have detailed to you all the minutia of our excursion; a recapitulation from me would therefore be tedious.
From Charlotte Brontë and Her Circle by Clement King Shorter
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
