Quibble

verb

To quarrel or complain about unimportant details

noun

A critique or objection about a marginal or trivial matter

Usage

Without constructive feedback, we might never learn how to do things the right way. However, it is possible to be too critical, and when we go from legitimately trying to help each other to quibbling over minutiae, we end up bogged down instead of making strides. True progress tends to stall when we over-focus on quibbles and just argue for the sake of arguing.

To quibble is to complain or argue about superficial or trivial details. For example, your professor might quibble over your otherwise thorough and polished paper by admonishing you for setting the font one point too small. Sure, the document might be slightly more readable with larger print, but this is a minute detail that probably has little bearing on the quality of the product as a whole. That’s the problem with quibbling: the criticisms or arguments involved are essentially meaningless. You would not say your professor was quibbling if he or she complained that your paper consisted of inaccurate information, because that would be a substantial issue. Usually, someone quibbles about, over, or with something.

Saying that someone is quibbling may imply that they are purposefully trying to avoid a point they know they can’t truly argue with. People who quibble may know very well that they’re fixating on something trivial; deep down, they might not even care about the issue they’re debating. In cases like these, quibbling is simply a stalling tactic or evasion used by people who aren’t ready to admit they’re wrong.

Quibble can also be used as a noun to refer to a superfluous or nitpicking complaint. You could call your professor’s critical remark about your paper’s font size an overzealous quibble, with an otherwise sound work. Saying that to a professor’s face might be a bad idea, though, since doing so could suggest that he or she is being pedantic or overly picky.

Example: The web development team will routinely quibble over typefaces for upwards of an hour.

Example: Before starting each Scrabble game, the siblings will routinely quibble with each other over the rules of the game.

Example: To the frustration of everyone in the office, the supervisor recorded his every quibble on each of his employees’ evaluation reports.

Origin

Quibble probably originates from the Latin word quibus, which is both the dative (i.e., related to the indirect object of a verb) and ablative (i.e., related to separation or motion away from something) plural of the word qui, meaning “who,” “whom,” “that,” “of,” or “which.” The association of the excessive use of quibus in legal filings and documents with fallacious or deceptive arguments gave rise to the now defunct English word quib, which meant “an evasive argument” or “circuitous or misleading reasoning.” Having developed from quib by sometime in the early 1600s, quibble was initially used to refer to inventive or comedic wordplay, particularly puns. The verb form of quibble, which dates back to the 1650s, originally meant “to avoid” or “to circumvent the point.”

Derivative Words

Quibbles: This form of quibble notes when a singular third-person subject is critiquing or bickering about something trivial. It is also the plural of the noun form of quibble.

Example: The pickiest eater of the bunch, Jacqueline quibbles over the choice of restaurant every time she and her friends decide to go out. (verb usage)

Example: I can’t deal with her quibbles any more. (noun usage)

Quibbled: The past participle of quibble, quibbled indicates that someone has complained over minor details sometime in the past.

Example: Their boss quibbled about the dress code so much that everyone started wearing thick gray smocks in protest.

Quibbling: Quibbling is the present participle of quibble. It often signifies that someone is currently objecting to a trivial matter. Quibbling can also be used as an adjective.

Example: The professor is infamous for quibbling over punctuation and grammar in her students’ essays so much that she often overlooks their content.

Example: He did not look forward to having meals with quibbling members of his family.

Quibbler: A quibbler is a person who disagrees with superfluous details.

Example: Though he fancied himself a comic book aficionado, he came off as a quibbler in his overly critical reviews of every new superhero movie.

In Literature

From Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game:

This is what historians usually do, quibble about cause and effect when the point is, there are times when the world is in flux and the right voice in the right place can move the world. Thomas Paine and Ben Franklin, for instance. Bismark. Lenin.

In this passage, Peter challenges what he believes is a tendency among historians to trivially bicker, or quibble, over small details related to notable events. Instead, he contends that the striking and inspiring words of charismatic individuals propel the events of history.

From Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird:

Jem decided there was no point in quibbling, and was silent.

In a somewhat tense exchange with his dad, Jem Finch decides to self-censor his protest – which he later made after his dad was out of earshot.

Mnemonic

To quibble is to question something little.
Why quibble over a nickel?