Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of little importance; insignificant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Concerning things that are so minor as to be negligible, trivial or trifling. Often used to describe exemptions in government rules and regulations.
  • adjective law beneath judicial notice

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin dē minimīs (nōn cūrat lēx), (the law does not concern itself) with trifling matters : , of, about + minimīs, ablative pl. of minimum, smallest (thing), least (thing), neuter of minimus, smallest, least; see minimum.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin, de + minimis, ablative of minimus ("smallest, least")

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