Hairsplitter

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hairsplitter \Hair"split`ter\ (-spl[i^]t`t[~e]r), n.
     One who makes excessively fine or needless distinctions in
     reasoning; one who quibbles. "The caviling hairsplitter."
     --De Quincey.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hairsplitter
       n : a disputant who makes unreasonably fine distinctions