nitpickn.
/ˈnɪtˌpɪk/, U.S. /ˈnɪtˌpɪk/ colloquial (originally U.S.).
A pedantic criticism.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > [noun] > captious > instance of
cavil1570
carp1618
crab1893
nitpick1968
1968 Amer. Econ. Rev. 58 438 The major aerospace firms aren't quite in this category, but if Weidenbaum is correct, they are drifting in that direction. This brings me to my first nit-pick.
1983 Daily Tel. 10 Mar. 18/5 It is a pity that, when crisis stocks of salmon in Scottish rivers are lessening, a legal nitpick over whether rights should be public or private should arise.
1994 N.Y. Times 30 Jan. 20/3 These are not mere nitpicks.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
nitpickv.
/ˈnɪtˌpɪk/, U.S. /ˈnɪtˌpɪk/ colloquial (originally U.S.).
1. transitive. To criticize (a thing) in an overzealous or pedantic fashion; to find fault with.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (transitive)]
reprehendc1400
murmur1424
discommenda1500
belack1531
to find fault (with, at)c1540
scan?c1550
fault1563
pinch1567
to lift or move a lip1579
raign1581
reflect1605
criminate1645
criticize1652
nick1668
critic1697
chop1712
stricture1851
to get on to ——1895
chip1898
rap1899
nitpick1956
1956 Mil. Affairs 20 235/2 His decisions in the main were so well conceived and executed that it would be quibbling to ‘nit-pick’ those few instances where his judgment was fallible.
1972 N.Y. Times 19 Dec. 65/7 Every niggling detail is carefully nitpicked.
1987 New Scientist 3 Dec. 67/3 One can nit-pick the choice of entries in any encyclopedia.
2001 High Country News 4 June 12/1 We ask why..is Knudson nit-picking a movement that is attempting to save the Western United States.
2. intransitive. To be pedantically critical; to find fault.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (intransitive)] > captiously
apeluchier1340
pinchc1387
pick-fault1544
carp1548
cavil1548
snag1554
nibblea1591
catch1628
momize1654
niggle1796
nag1828
to pick on ——1864
snark1882
knock1892
nitpick1962
1962 W. Schirra in J. Glenn et al. Into Orbit 34 We all tried to avoid nit-picking with each other on these things.
1971 ‘D. Shannon’ Ringer (1972) vi. 108 Don't nitpick.
1982 Economist 23 Jan. 13 Too much time has been spent nitpicking over Japan's imports of foreign goods.
1988 S. Davis Successful Lyric Writing i. i. 8 I don't want to nitpick any more. All we do is nitpick—what a bore!
2001 Dreamwatch Mar. 71/3 There are always little things that you nit pick about.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1968
v.1956