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Quibble is most familiar as a verb, but it can also function as a noun meaning "an evasion of or shift from the point" and "a minor objection or criticism." Both forms of quibble settled into English in the mid-17th century, presumably (though not definitively) as a diminutive of a now-obsolete noun quib, meaning “quibble.” Quib in turn may have come from a form of Latin qui, meaning “who,” a distant relation also of our word who.
Examples of quibble in a Sentence
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
Ever since our forefathers quibbled over throwing perfectly good tea into a harbor, generations have found conflict in our cuisine, from pineapple on pizza to the Cola Wars.
Of all the foods that necessitate heated arguments, perhaps none stokes the fire in the hearts of men quite like hot dogs.
—Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 27 June 2024
Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 9 July 2024
The author admits that she’s had some quibbles with how the beach read genre, and her Nantucket novels in particular, have been received over the years.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 15 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for quibble 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quibble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near quibble
Cite this Entry
“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quibble. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quibble
1 of 2 verb
quibble
2 of 2 noun
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