Dictionary

hairsplitter

noun hair·split·ter \ˈher-ˌspli-tər\

: a person who argues about differences that are too small to be important

Full Definition of HAIRSPLITTER

:  one that makes excessively fine distinctions in reasoning
hair·split·ting \-ˌspli-tiŋ\ adjective or noun
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First Known Use of HAIRSPLITTER

1849

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