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.
The de minimis exemption is set to end at 12:01 a.m. ET on May 2. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 May 2025 Over time, the de minimis exemption also came to be used by small businesses in the U.S., to import small volumes of items without having to pay tariffs. Emily Feng, NPR, 2 May 2025 Already, for example, Shein and Temu raised prices ahead of the de minimis exemption’s end, hiking prices on several goods tracked by CNN. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 2 May 2025 Snap’s finance chief Derek Andersen said during an earnings call that some advertisers are already seeing an impact from changes to the de minimis exemption. Samantha Subin, CNBC, 30 Apr. 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 7 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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