hairsplitting

1 of 2

adjective

: making excessively fine or trivial distinctions in reasoning

ancient hairsplitting technicalities of special pleading

—Charles Sumner

tricky hairsplitting statesmen

—Weston La Barre

hairsplitting

2 of 2

noun

"

: hairsplitting reasoning or argument

an excessive penchant for intellectual and verbal hairsplitting

—J. W. Beach

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