detail
Other forms: details; detailed
A detail is a small fact or spot in a larger entity. That ambiguous smile is just one detail of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
Detail comes from the French for cutting into pieces, but in English we only use it to refer to the pieces. As a noun, detail means an isolated aspect of something larger. If you're painting a landscape, don't forget details like individual birds and trees. Detail can also mean a team of workers for a special task. If you go on a group camping trip, try for the food detail instead of the trash detail.
Definitions of detail
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a small part that can be considered separately from the whole“it was perfect in all details”
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synonyms:
item, particular
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types:
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high spot, highlight
the most interesting or memorable part
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accent
a detail or feature that adds visual emphasis to or contrasts with its surroundings
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type of:
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component, component part, constituent, moiety, part, portion
something determined in relation to something that includes it
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high spot, highlight
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an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole“several of the details are similar”
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types:
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minutia
a small or minor detail
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nook and cranny, nooks and crannies
something remote
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regard, respect
(usually preceded by `in') a detail or point
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sticking point
a point at which an impasse arises in progress toward an agreement or a goal
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technicality, trifle, triviality
a detail that is considered insignificant
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type of:
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fact
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
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extended treatment of particulars“the essay contained too much detail”
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type of:
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discourse, discussion, treatment
an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
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discourse, discussion, treatment
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provide details for
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a crew of workers selected for a particular task“a detail was sent to remove the fallen trees”
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type of:
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crew, gang, work party
an organized group of workers
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crew, gang, work party
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a temporary military unit
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synonyms:
contingent
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type of:
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force, military force, military group, military unit
a unit that is part of some military service
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force, military force, military group, military unit
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assign to a specific task
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘detail'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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