de minimis
adjective
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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
Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 29 May 2025
The elimination of the de minimis exemption, which previously allowed low-value packages to enter the U.S. duty-free, directly increases the cost of fast fashion items from major online retailers like Shein and Temu, heavily reliant on direct-to-consumer shipments from China.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
It has been known for some time that the de minimis exemption had gradually developed into a prominent gap in tariff enforcement.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
On Friday, the Trump administration ended de minimis exemptions on Chinese goods, which had given U.S. duty free access for low-value shipments that are often exploited by these e-commerce firms.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for de minimis
Cite this Entry
“De minimis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20minimis. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
de minimis
adjective
Note: An action may be dismissed if the claim or cause is considered de minimis.
New Latin, concerning trifles
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