minutia

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin minutia, from minūtus (“small, little”), from minuō (“make smaller”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /maɪˈn(j)uːʃ(iː)ə/, /məˈn(j)uːʃ(iː)ə/

Noun

minutia (plural minutiae or minutiæ)

  1. A minor detail, often of negligible importance.
    They spent all their time on minutiae, never making real progress.
    • 1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume I, 2nd edition, London: T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, published 1768, page 159:
      I think I can ſee the preciſe and diſtinguiſhing marks of national characters more in theſe nonſenſical minutiæ, than in the moſt important matters of ſtate ; where great men of all nations talk and ſtalk ſo much alike, that I would not give ninepence to chuſe amongſt them.
  2. (biometrics, forensics) Any of the major features of a fingerprint that allow prints to be compared.

Translations
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Latin

Etymology

Derived from minūtus (“diminished”).

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /miˈnuː.ti.a/, [mɪˈnuː.ti.a]

Noun

minūtia f (genitive minūtiae); first declension

  1. smallness, fineness, minuteness

Inflection

First declension.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative minūtia minūtiae
Genitive minūtiae minūtiārum
Dative minūtiae minūtiīs
Accusative minūtiam minūtiās
Ablative minūtiā minūtiīs
Vocative minūtia minūtiae

Descendants

References
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