noun
technicality
tehk-nih-KA-lih-tee
noun
1
A minor rule or detail that seems unimportant to most people but can have major consequences.
"The case was thrown out on a technicality."
2
A detail specific to a particular trade or specialised field.
"He got lost in the technicalities of contract law."
How to Use Technicality
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, specialist detail — especially a rule that decides an outcome despite seeming trivial.
Common pairings
on a technicality
a legal technicality
Word Forms
technicalities plural
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The case was thrown out on a _____.
Etymology
From technical plus the noun suffix "-ity."