flyspeck

Minuscule dark spot

A flyspeck is a tiny dark spot left by a fly's excrement.

The word extends to anything insignificantly small: a flyspeck of a town in the middle of nowhere.

As a verb, to flyspeck is to examine something with extreme, often excessive attention to minute details: The auditors flyspecked every receipt.

tiny

minuscule

Extremely small in size

dotSmall circular mark
microscopicToo small for eyes
infinitesimalQuantity approaching zero

pinpoint · mote · particle · grain · atom · mite · iota · jot · tittle · scintilla

insignificant

trivial

Lacking significance or weight

negligibleToo small to consider
minorScale with lowered third
pettyOf little importance

inconsequential · trifling · paltry · nothing · nonentity · cipher · nobody · backwater · nowhere · podunk

blemish

spot

Mark or location

dotSmall circular mark
markVisible impression or sign
fleckMinute spot or particle

speckle · smudge · stain · blotch · splotch · dapple · stipple · mottle · discoloration · imperfection

nitpicking

scrutinize

Inspect with close attention

faultfindingSeeking out imperfections
pedanticExcessively concerned with minor rules
pettifoggingFussing over trivialities

hairsplitting · quibbling · carping · caviling · captious · finicky · fussy · overcritical · fastidious · exacting

Categories

tiny bitsdots, dot, spots, spot, fleck
small marksdot, spot, fleck, pip, point
fruit flawsbruise, bruising, rot, brown rot, black rot
fruit diseasesfire blight, brown rot, black rot, citrus canker, citrus greening

Opposites

size/magnitude

flyspeckmountain

Tall natural landmass

mass · giant · behemoth · colossus · chunk

quantity/amount

flyspeckabundance

Ample supply, overflowing

profusion · wealth · mountain · heap · pile

significance/importance

flyspecklandmark

Notable point of reference

cornerstone · big deal · centerpiece · linchpin · keystone

Family

flyspecked, flyspecks

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G