Nitpick
/ˈnɪtˌpɪk/noun
To criticize small or unimportant details.
Did you know?Nitpick is a 20th-century compound built from nit and pick, and the older verb nit-pick meant exactly what it sounds like: to pick nits, or lice eggs, from hair.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hnitu
“A louse egg; a nit.”
Middle English
ME
nit
“A louse egg; a nit.”
16th Century
English
pick
“To pluck, select, or remove by hand.”
19th Century
English
nit-pick
“To remove nits from hair; later, to find fault over tiny details.”
20th Century
English
nitpick
“To criticize or fuss over trivial details.”
Explore more surprising origins