quibble
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quibble
- /ˈkwɪbəl/
Rhymes with -ɪbəl
Where it comes from
Origin uncertain. Possibly from quib (“quibble”, noun) + -le (diminutive ending). Quib is probably from Latin quibus (“in what respect? how?”), which appeared frequently in legal documents and came to be suggestive of the verbosity and petty argumentation found therein; or perhaps an alteration of quip. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal Dutch kwebbelen (“to speak quickly and continuously, chatter”). Compare also Scots wheebele (“a quibble”).
noun quibbles
-
An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint.
He harped on his quibble about how the dark red paint should be described as carmine rather than burgundy.
Similar: argument, argy-bargy, altercation, contention, barney, bawl out, blue, bobbery, brawl, clash, conflict, controversy
- A pun. Is it a quibble, or play upon words?
verb quibbles · quibbling · quibbled
- To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner. They are constantly quibbling over insignificant details.
- To contest, especially some trivial issue in a petty manner. The customer quibbled the bill.
Similar: squabble
Thesaurus
verb
Similar: squabble
Translations
Every language
noun a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument
| Español | sutileza, argucia |
|---|---|
| Português | minúcia |
| Français | argutie |
| Deutsch | kleinliche Kritik, Spitzfindigkeit, Haarspalterei |
| Italiano | cavillo |
| Русский | приди́рка pridírka |
verb to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner
| Español | buscar evasivas, sutilizar, andar con sutilezas |
|---|---|
| Português | preocupar-se, preocupar-se com minúcias, discutir |
| Français | chicaner, ergoter, chinoiser, chipoter, pinailler |
| Deutsch | herumstreiten, kleinlich sein |
| Italiano | cavillare |
| Русский | придира́ться pridirátʹsja |
Talk about this word "quibble." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/quibble. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. quibble. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/quibble "quibble." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/quibble.Cite this
@misc{quibble_2026,
title = {quibble},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/quibble},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
