HAIRSPLITTING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hairsplitting mean? 

• HAIRSPLITTING (noun)
  The noun HAIRSPLITTING has 1 sense:

1. making too fine distinctions of little importance

  Familiarity information: HAIRSPLITTING used as a noun is very rare.

• HAIRSPLITTING (adjective)
  The adjective HAIRSPLITTING has 1 sense:

1. developed in excessively fine detail

  Familiarity information: HAIRSPLITTING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HAIRSPLITTING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Making too fine distinctions of little importance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

hairsplitting; word-splitting

Context example:

they didn't take his hairsplitting seriously

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)

• HAIRSPLITTING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Developed in excessively fine detail

Synonyms:

finespun; hairsplitting

Context example:

finespun distinctions

Similar:

precise (sharply exact or accurate or delimited)

Derivation:

hairsplitting (making too fine distinctions of little importance)