picayune
UK[ˌpɪkəˈjuːn]US[ˌpɪkəˈjuːn]
adj
Of little value or importance; petty or trivial.
n
A small coin of low value, specifically an old Spanish half-real piece formerly used in parts of the southern United States.
Etymology
The word 'picayune' entered English in the early 18th century from the French 'picaillon', which was a term for a small copper coin from the region of Savoy. 'Picaillon' itself is thought to derive from the Provençal 'picaioun', meaning 'small coin'. The term was used in the French colonial territories of what is now the southern United States, particularly Louisiana, to refer to the Spanish half-real coin. From this concrete sense of a coin of trifling value, the meaning broadened metaphorically in the 19th century to describe anything considered petty, insignificant, or of little worth, completing its journey from a specific monetary unit to a general adjective of disparagement.
Analysis
The word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into English.
Examples
Let's not waste time on these picayune details and focus on the major issues.
He was criticized for his picayune approach to budgeting, questioning every minor expense.
The argument was over a picayune sum of money, not worth the anger it caused.