MINUTIA (minutiae)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: minutiae   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does minutia mean? 

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

1. a small or minor detail

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• MINUTIA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small or minor detail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

he had memorized the many minutiae of the legal code

Hypernyms ("minutia" is a kind of...):

detail; item; point (an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole)

 Context examples 

Upon my word, I am not acquainted with the minutiae of her principles.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Anne felt that she did not belong to the conversation, and yet, as Captain Harville seemed thoughtful and not disposed to talk, she could not avoid hearing many undesirable particulars; such as, how Mr Musgrove and my brother Hayter had met again and again to talk it over; what my brother Hayter had said one day, and what Mr Musgrove had proposed the next, and what had occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the young people had wished, and what I said at first I never could consent to, but was afterwards persuaded to think might do very well, and a great deal in the same style of open-hearted communication: minutiae which, even with every advantage of taste and delicacy, which good Mrs Musgrove could not give, could be properly interesting only to the principals.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

He caught a glimpse of that pathetic figure of him, so long ago, a self-conscious savage, sprouting sweat at every pore in an agony of apprehension, puzzled by the bewildering minutiae of eating-implements, tortured by the ogre of a servant, striving at a leap to live at such dizzy social altitude, and deciding in the end to be frankly himself, pretending no knowledge and no polish he did not possess.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Whenever she had thought of the minutiae of the evening, it had been as a matter of course that Edmund would begin with Miss Crawford; and the impression was so strong, that though her uncle spoke the contrary, she could not help an exclamation of surprise, a hint of her unfitness, an entreaty even to be excused.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I paused, examining and analysing all the minutiae of causation, as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me—a light so brilliant and wondrous, yet so simple, that while I became dizzy with the immensity of the prospect which it illustrated, I was surprised that among so many men of genius who had directed their inquiries towards the same science, that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

She had a great deal to listen to; all the particulars of past sad scenes, all the minutiae of distress upon distress, which in former conversations had been merely hinted at, were dwelt on now with a natural indulgence.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The minutiae of the business Anne could not attempt to understand; even Captain Wentworth did not seem admitted to perfect confidence here; but that there had been a withdrawing on the gentleman's side, and a relenting on the lady's, and that they were now very glad to be together again, did not admit a doubt.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)