minutiae

[mi-noo-shee-ee, -nyoo-, mi-noo-shuh, -shee-uh]

plural noun

singular

minutia 

1. precise details; small or trifling matters.

   the minutiae of his craft.

minutiae

/ mɪˈnjuːʃɪˌiː /

plural noun

1. small, precise, or trifling details

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

• minutial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of minutiae¹

First recorded in 1745–55; from Latin, plural of minūtia “smallness, fineness,” equivalent to minūt(us) “small, tiny” + -ia; minute ², -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of minutiae¹

C18: pl of Late Latin minūtia smallness, from Latin minūtus _minute ²

Example Sentences

Baumbach has always had an impeccable sense of detail, understanding the tiniest minutiae of behavior and character psychology.

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The result is a window into the pleasures of friendship and those days when the minutiae of your loved ones seems like the stuff that true connection is built on.

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But in focusing on the minutiae of what happened and recommending mostly narrow or technical improvements, it failed to answer the deeper question: “Why, after all these years, don’t we do this any better?”

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At least five podcasts followed the minutiae of the case in the regional Victorian town of Morwell.

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Forget the “minutiae of Medicaid policy,” tweeted Vice President JD Vance, supposed elegist of hillbillies and other downtrodden Americans — it’s the extra immigration crackdown cash that counts.

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Related Words

• trivia