| Library / English Dictionary |
HAIRSPLITTING
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Making too fine distinctions of little importance
Example:
they didn't take his hairsplitting seriously
Synonyms:
hairsplitting; word-splitting
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("hairsplitting" is a kind of...):
differentiation; distinction (a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes)
Derivation:
hairsplitting (developed in excessively fine detail)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Developed in excessively fine detail
Example:
finespun distinctions
Synonyms:
finespun; hairsplitting
Classified under:
Similar:
precise (sharply exact or accurate or delimited)
Derivation:
hairsplitting (making too fine distinctions of little importance)
