Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

de minimis

/də ˈmɪnəmɪs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.93 in modern English

Syllables: de min-imis
IPA: /də ˈmɪnəmɪs/

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

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

adj

Beneath the notice of the law; so minor as not to warrant a penalty or remedy.

noun

Ellipsis of de minimis exemption.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The tax is not payable on amounts below the de minimis limit of £100 per year."
"The de minimis rules on import duty mean that alcohol for personal consumption is exempt from any charge."
"On Tuesday, the US Postal Service briefly halted all incoming packages from China and Hong Kong after Trump ended a de minimis provision that allowed low-value packages from China to enter the US duty-free."
"The de minimis exemption, as it’s known, allowed shipments of goods worth $800 or less to come into the United States duty-free, often more or less skipping time-consuming inspections and paperwork."
"The White House said that between 2015 and 2024 the volume of de minimis shipments entering the US annually increased from 134mn to more than 1.36bn."
"The behaviour of the accused was technically assault, but the judge found it de minimis and entered an acquittal."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin de minimīs, ablative of minimus (“smallest, least”); shortened form of the legal maxim de minimis non curat lex (literally “the law does not concern itself with trifling matters”).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /də ˈmɪnəmɪs/

Usage

Uncountable

Phrases

de minimis non curat lex don't sweat the small stuff infra dig infra dignitatem

Frequently Paired Words

de minimis non curat lex don't sweat the small stuff infra dig infra dignitatem

Questions

How do you pronounce de minimis?: The recorded pronunciation is /də ˈmɪnəmɪs/.
What does de minimis mean?: Concerning things that are so minor as to be negligible, trivial, or trifling. Often used to describe exemptions in government rules and regulations.
Where does de minimis come from?: Borrowed from Latin de minimīs, ablative of minimus (“smallest, least”); shortened form of the legal maxim de minimis non curat lex (literally “the law does not concern itself with trifling matters”).

How to pronounce de minimis

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