minuzia

Minuzia is an Italian noun that denotes a minute, trifling detail, or nicety. In ordinary speech and in analytical writing it refers to a small point that may be cited as part of a larger argument but can also indicate pedantry if overemphasized. The word often carries a nuance of precision about the tiny components of a subject.

Etymology: The term comes from Latin minuta meaning smallness or minuteness, and entered Italian via medieval Latin and possibly French influence. It is related to the adjective minuzioso, meaning meticulous or thorough. In English, a parallel form is minutia or minutiae, sharing the same Latin root.

Usage: Minuzia is common in literary criticism, philosophy, law, journalism, and scientific writing when distinguishing between essential issues and the accompanying tiny details. Example: L'autore analizza le minuzie senza perdere la visione d'insieme. One would often say that non ci si perde nelle minuzie to express that complaint more idiomatically.

See also: minuzioso, minutiae, minutia.