Type in ➚ :

Hairsplitting

Part of Speech

Noun, Adjective

Pronunciation

/ˈhɛrˌsplɪtɪŋ/ (American English), /ˈhɛəˌsplɪtɪŋ/ (British English)

Definitions

1. The act of making excessively fine distinctions or overly detailed arguments.

2. Engaging in trivial or overly precise reasoning.

Usage Examples

1. The professor's hairsplitting over terminology frustrated the students.

2. Legal arguments often involve some degree of hairsplitting.

Etymology

Derived from "hair" (Old English "hǣr") and "splitting" (from "split," Middle English "spliten"), referring to an attempt to divide something extremely thin. The term emerged in the 17th century.

Synonyms

Pedantry, quibbling, nitpicking, overanalysis, meticulousness

Antonyms

Pragmatism, generalization, simplicity

Translations

Language Translation Pronunciation
Frenchpinaillage/pi.naj.aʒ/
Spanishquisquillosidad/kis.ki.ʎo.siˈðað/
GermanSpitzfindigkeit/ˈʃpɪtsˌfɪndɪçkaɪ̯t/
Italiansofismi inutili/soˈfiz.mi iˈnuː.ti.li/
Russianпридирчивость/prʲɪˈdʲirt͡ʃɪvəsʲtʲ/
Hindiबाल की खाल निकालना/baːl kiː kʰaːl nɪkaːlnaː/
Mandarin吹毛求疵/chuī máo qiú cī/
Arabicتدقيق في التفاصيل/tadqīq fī at-tafāṣīl/
Japanese細かいことにこだわる/komakai koto ni kodawaru/
Portugueseexcesso de preciosismo/eʃˈsɛsu dʒi pɾe.si.oˈziʒmu/
Turkishince ayrıntılarla uğraşma/indʒe ajɾɯntɯlaɾla uːɾaʃma/

Regional Pronunciation Variations

In American English, "hairsplitting" is pronounced /ˈhɛrˌsplɪtɪŋ/, whereas British English often pronounces it /ˈhɛəˌsplɪtɪŋ/ with a softer "r" sound.

Historical Usage

The term "hairsplitting" has been used since the 17th century to criticize unnecessary or overly precise distinctions, especially in legal, philosophical, and theological arguments.

Cultural Nuances

In academic and legal settings, hairsplitting can be a necessary skill, but in casual conversations, it is often seen as an annoying habit.

More Information

Hairsplitting is commonly associated with legal debates, scholarly discourse, and meticulous editing. While it can sometimes be useful for clarity, excessive hairsplitting can be seen as pedantic and unnecessary.

  1. Home
  2.  › 
  3. language
  4.  › 
  5. marathi-dictionary-translation-meaning-of-hairsplitting