detail

¹de·tail

noun \di-ˈtāl, ˈdē-ˌtāl\

Definition of DETAIL

1

: extended treatment of or attention to particular items

2

: a part of a whole: as a : a small and subordinate part : particular; also : a reproduction of such a part of a work of art b : a part considered or requiring to be considered separately from the whole c : the small elements that collectively constitute a work of art d : the small elements of a photographic image corresponding to those of the subject

3

a : selection of a person or group for a particular task (as in military service) b (1) : the person or group selected (2) : the task to be performed

— in detail

: with all the particulars <explained the job in detail>

Examples of DETAIL

1. Every detail of the wedding was carefully planned.
2. They designed every detail of the house.
3. the wooden box's fine carved detail
4. We admired the detail of the artist's work.
5. The job requires attention to detail.
6. The article provides further details.
7. You left out an important detail about their new baby: is it a girl or boy?
8. The novel is full of historical details.
9. The book includes a wealth of detail on living conditions aboard ships at that time.
10. The novel is full of historical detail.

Origin of DETAIL

French détail, from Old French detail slice, piece, from detaillier to cut in pieces, from de- + taillier to cut — more at tailor

First Known Use: 1603

Related to DETAIL

Synonyms: item, particular, point

Related Words: article, belonging, object, stuff, thing; characteristic, component, constituent, element, factor, feature, member; ingredient; division, particle, partition, piece, portion, section, segment

Near Antonyms: aggregate, composite, compound, conglomerate; entirety, sum, summation, total, totality, whole

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at item

Rhymes with DETAIL

abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blackmail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, curtail, derail, doornail, dovetail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, exhale, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale