de minimis

adjective

de min·​i·​mis dē-ˈmi-nə-məs How to pronounce de minimis (audio)
dā-ˈmē-ni-mis
: lacking significance or importance : so minor as to merit disregard
de minimis fringe benefits
what amounts to a de minimis tax increase

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Proponents of readable prose over jargon and legalese might argue that the last thing 20th-century American jurisprudence needed was another Latin term. Yet here we have a legal term that entered English only around 1950. Perhaps we should clarify: the legal doctrine of de minimis non curat lex ("the law does not concern itself with trifling matters") has been around for a while, but use of de minimis on its own is relatively recent. At first, the shortened phrase was simply used to refer to the legal doctrine itself ("the de minimis rule"). Then it came to be used more broadly as an adjective ("de minimis contacts with the defendant"). Finally, de minimis leaked out of the courtroom and into the world at large.

Examples of de minimis in a Sentence

investors disappointed by stock dividends that were decidedly de minimis
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Packages valued at less than $800 were long able to enter the U.S. duty-free via the de minimis exemption, which allowed e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu to flood the U.S. market with cheap shipments from China. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 14 May 2025 The end of the de minimis exemption has upended the business models of companies like Shein and Temu, leaving U.S. consumers unable to procure affordable fashion from the popular e-commerce sites. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 13 May 2025 This new pause will not revert the de minimis exception that went into effect on May 2. James Peckham, PC Magazine, 12 May 2025 The move comes after the U.S. placed sharp tariffs on imports from China, and just days after the expiration of the de minimis exemption, an exclusion that allowed for parcels valued under $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for de minimis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, concerning trifles

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of de minimis was in 1905

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Cite this Entry

“De minimis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20minimis. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Legal Definition

de minimis

adjective
: lacking significance or importance : so minor as to be disregarded compare substantial

Note: An action may be dismissed if the claim or cause is considered de minimis.

Etymology

New Latin, concerning trifles

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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