Wiktionary

minutia

English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /maɪˈn(j)uːʃ(iː)ə/, /məˈn(j)uːʃ(iː)ə/
  • Audio (UK):(file)

Noun

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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, 2nd edition, volume I, 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 point features on fingerprints used for matching, usually endings and bifurcations of ridges.

Translations

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Latin

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From minūtus (“diminished”) +‎ -ia.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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minūtia f (genitive minūtiae); first declension

  1. smallness, minuteness
  2. small thing, trifle

Declension

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First-declension noun.

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

Descendants

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References

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