quibble — to argue about or find fault with trivial matters
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to argue about or find fault with trivial matters
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkwɪbəl/
Example Sentences
- My mom always quibbles when I'm two minutes late for dinner.
- The teacher quibbled over every comma in my essay.
- Don't quibble - just admit you ate my last cookie!
quibble
VERB[/ˈkwɪbəl/]
to argue about or find fault with trivial matters

They quibble over who left one dish in the sink.

Quib pulls at tiny threads — always finding fault with trivial things!

Don't quibble while I scribble and nibble!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the Latin 'quibble' or possibly from the Latin 'quippе' (what), influenced by the suffix '-ible'. The word evolved through Middle English and Old English legal terminology, where it referred to evasive arguments or technicalities in disputes.
Breakdown
The etymology is uncertain, but likely from Latin 'quip-' (quippе, meaning 'what') + '-ble' (able to be) = quibble (able to be disputed or argued about in trivial ways)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom always quibbles when I'm two minutes late for dinner.”
“The teacher quibbled over every comma in my essay.”
“Don't quibble - just admit you ate my last cookie!”
“The contract negotiations stalled over minor quibbles.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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