Definition
To argue about trivial matters or raise petty objections; a minor criticism or complaint.
Etymology
Originally from Latin quibus, the dative plural of qui 'who/which,' used in legal documents. It came to mean caviling about legal technicalities, then broadened to any petty argument.
Kelly Says
Quibble's journey from legal Latin to everyday criticism shows how professional jargon often becomes general vocabulary - what started as lawyers' technical language became anyone's way of describing nitpicky arguing.
Translations
AFAfrikaans
haarklowing
haar-klo-ving
AMአማርኛ
ትንንሽ ኣቅርቦት
tin-nish a-kir-bot
ARالعربية
مشاجرة تافهة
mu-shaa-ja-ra taa-fi-ha
BGБългарски
дребнавост
dreb-na-VOS
BNবাংলা
ছোটখাটো আপত্তি
cho-t kho-to a-pot-ti
CACatalà
objecció menor
ob-zhe-SYO me-NOR
CSČeština
drobnost
DROB-nost
DADansk
ordkløveri
ord-KLOE-ve-ri
DEDeutsch
Spitzfindigkeit
shpits-FIN-dikh-kait
ELΕλληνικά
τριχοτομία
tri-kho-to-MI-a
ESEspañol
objeción menor
ob-he-SYON me-NOR
EUEuskara
zeharkat
ze-har-KAT
FAفارسی
ایراد جزئی
i-raad joz-i
FISuomi
pilkunnussinta
pil-kun-NUS-sin-ta
FRFrançais
argutie
ar-gu-TY
GLGalego
obxección trivial
ob-he-SYON tri-vi-AL
HEעברית
התחכמות
hit-khakh-MUT
HIहिन्दी
छोटी आपत्ति
cho-ti aap-at-ti
HRHrvatski
cjepidlačenje
tsye-pid-la-CHE-nye
HUMagyar
szőrszálhasogatás
soer-saal-ha-sho-ga-taash
IDBahasa Indonesia
keberatan kecil
ke-be-ra-tan ke-chil
ITItaliano
cavillo
ka-VIL-lo
JA日本語
揚げ足取り
a-ge-a-shi to-ri
KO한국어
사소한 이의
sa-so-han i-ui
LTLietuvių
smulkmena
smulk-ME-na
LVLatviešu
sīkums
SEE-kums
MNМонгол
жижиг эргэлзэл
zhi-zhig er-gel-zel
MSBahasa Melayu
bantahan kecil
ban-ta-han ke-chil
MYမြန်မာ
အသေးအမွှား မှတ်ချက်
a-thei-a-hmwa-ya hmat-chet
NLNederlands
haarkloverij
HAAR-klo-ve-rai
NONorsk
ordkløveri
ord-KLOE-ve-ri
PLPolski
drobnostka
drob-NOS-tka
PTPortuguês
objeção trivial
ob-zhe-SAU tri-vi-AL
RUРусский
придирка
pri-DIR-ka
SKSlovenčina
drobnost
DROB-nost
SLSlovenščina
malenkost
ma-len-KOST
SRСрпски
ципеидлачење
tsi-pe-id-la-CHE-nye
SVSvenska
ordklövning
ord-KLOEV-ning
SWKiswahili
ugomvi mdogo
u-go-MVI m-do-go
TAதமிழ்
சிறு குறை
si-ru ku-rai
TEతెలుగు
చిన్న అభ్యంతరం
chin-na ab-hyan-ta-ram
THไทย
การจับผิดเล็กน้อย
kan jap pit lek noi
TRTürkçe
küçük itiraz
kue-chuek i-ti-raz
UKУкраїнська
причепка
pry-CHEP-ka
URاردو
چھوٹی اعتراض
chu-ti i-ti-raz
VITiếng Việt
cãi vặt
cai vat
ZH中文
吹毛求疵
chuī máo qiú cī