de minimis
adjective
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Proponents of readable prose over jargon and legalese might argue that the last thing 20th-century American jurisprudence needed was another Latin term. Yet here we have a legal term that entered English only around 1950. Perhaps we should clarify: the legal doctrine of de minimis non curat lex ("the law does not concern itself with trifling matters") has been around for a while, but use of de minimis on its own is relatively recent. At first, the shortened phrase was simply used to refer to the legal doctrine itself ("the de minimis rule"). Then it came to be used more broadly as an adjective ("de minimis contacts with the defendant"). Finally, de minimis leaked out of the courtroom and into the world at large.
Examples of de minimis in a Sentence
Annie Palmer, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
If the de minimis exemption is removed for Canadian and Mexican imports, most Etsy sellers will be forced to pass the price increase onto their customers.
—Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 12 Feb. 2025
More than 80% of total US e-commerce shipments in 2022 were de minimis imports, according to a congressional research report.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
Temu and Shein have been preparing to maintain their U.S. customer base following the end of the de minimis exemption.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de minimis
Cite this Entry
“De minimis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20minimis. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
de minimis
adjective
Note: An action may be dismissed if the claim or cause is considered de minimis.
New Latin, concerning trifles
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