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:
That’s the question everyone is trying to figure out, as the 32-page agreement is parsed, with pundits pouring over minutiae of cable streaming and tax credits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
The minutiae are the key to freeing oneself from Mungiu’s clever trap.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
It is sensible, then, in one respect, to try to pin down and control the minutiae of what you can: your dishes and your kitchen, your teeth and your face.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
His only diversion is collecting newspaper clippings of famous people, leading him to make secret late-night forays into the archives to uncover the minutiae of their lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The cast was made up of D-list television stars who cheerfully spouted corporate propaganda while relating the minutiae of lOI’s indenturement policy.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
California voters should not expect to see a special election campaign focused on the minutia of reconfiguring the state’s congressional districts, however.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2025
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 worried about the public’s eyes glazing over with all of this minutia, but it matters,” Nelson.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
Since then, a steady undercurrent of fans who believe Swift is not straight, otherwise known as "Gaylors," have proliferated, decoding the minutia of Swift's lyrics and music videos to prove a thesis of perceived queerness.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2023
It is your parvenu who is most particular as to the cut of his coat, and the precision of his equipage, and the minutia, of his menage.
From My Novel — Complete by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton
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.
