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Pettifogging: meaning, definitions and examples

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pettifogging

 

[ ˈpɛtɪfɒɡɪŋ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in a legal context

Placing undue emphasis on petty details; quibbling over trivial matters.

Synonyms

hair-splitting, nitpicking, quibbling

Examples of usage

  • He was known for his pettifogging arguments during the trial.
  • The judge grew tired of the pettifogging tactics used by the defense attorney.

Translations

Translations of the word "pettifogging" in other languages:

🇵🇹 litigância mesquinha

🇮🇳 छोटा-मोटा झगड़ा

🇩🇪 Kleinlichkeit

🇮🇩 perkara kecil

🇺🇦 мелочне інтриганство

🇵🇱 drobiazgowość

🇯🇵 些細な争い

🇫🇷 chicanerie

🇪🇸 bagatela

🇹🇷 küçük düşürme

🇰🇷 사소한 논쟁

🇸🇦 مشاجرة تافهة

🇨🇿 malichernost

🇸🇰 malichernosť

🇨🇳 琐碎的争吵

🇸🇮 malenkost

🇮🇸 smámunasemi

🇰🇿 ұсақ-түйек дау

🇬🇪 წვრილმანი კამათი

🇦🇿 xırda mübahisə

🇲🇽 bagatela

Word origin

The term 'pettifogging' originated in the 16th century, combining 'petty' and 'fogger' (a pejorative term for a lawyer). Originally used to describe lawyers who dealt with petty legal matters, it eventually evolved to mean someone who focuses on trivial or insignificant details.

See also: fog, fogger, foggily, fogginess, foggy.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,742, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.