detail
UK[ˈdiːteɪl]US[ˈdiːteɪl, dɪˈteɪl]
n
An individual feature, fact, or item.
n
A small part of a picture or painting reproduced separately for close study.
v
To describe something item by item; to give full information about.
v
To assign (someone) to a specific task.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
tail
de
completely
tail
cut
Etymology
The word 'detail' entered English from the French 'détailler', meaning "to cut in pieces, narrate in particulars". This French term is a compound of the prefix 'de-', implying completeness or separation, and 'tailler', "to cut". The core logic is that to provide details is to "cut" a subject down into its smaller, constituent parts for thorough examination or enumeration. This sense of breaking something into pieces to describe it fully evolved from the literal act of cutting, a meaning preserved in related words like 'retail' (cutting a large quantity into smaller sales) and 'tailor' (one who cuts cloth).
Analysis
Structure: de (completely) + tail (cut)
'de-' is a Latin prefix meaning "completely, down, away". '-tail' is from the Old French verb 'tailler', meaning "to cut", which is from the Latin 'taliare', also meaning "to cut".
Examples
The report outlines the plan in broad strokes but omits many important details.
The artist paid incredible attention to the detail in the architectural features of the painting.
The officer detailed three soldiers to guard the entrance.