hairsplitter

English

noun
Definitions
  • A stickler person who makes extremely, possibly excessively, fine distinctions (who would separate something as fine as a hair into two pieces and distinguish them).

Etymology

Compound from English hair + English splitter.

Origin

English

splitter

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms