English Reference

Word

detail

Phoneticsde·tail, stress on the first syllable

/ˈditeɪɫ/

Definitions

01a small part

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a small part or feature of something that you might not notice at first.

n. an individual feature, fact, or item, considered separately from the whole.

“The artist spent hours painting every tiny detail of the flower.”

“The architect's attention to detail was evident in the intricate carvings found even in the most obscure corners of the building.”

Antonyms

wholegenerality

02personal information

A2 · Elementary Plural noun

n. facts about a person, like their name, address, or phone number.

n. specific items of personal information used for identification or contact.

“Please leave your contact details at the front desk.”

“The registration form requires you to provide your personal details, including a valid passport number and a permanent residential address.”

03military/work task

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Military Formal · Technical

n. a small group of people chosen for a special job, often in the army.

n. a small detachment of troops or a specific task assigned to such a group.

“He was assigned to the cleaning detail for the rest of the week.”

“The sergeant organized a security detail to monitor the perimeter of the camp throughout the night.”

04to describe fully

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to give a lot of information about something or describe it fully.

v. to provide a thorough and exhaustive account of something.

“The report details all the changes we made to the project.”

“The witness was asked to detail the events leading up to the accident in chronological order.”

Antonyms

05to assign a task

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to give someone a specific job to do.

v. to appoint or assign someone to a specific duty or task.

“Two officers were detailed to watch the back door of the building.”

“The manager detailed several staff members to assist with the emergency evacuation procedures during the drill.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “detail” in context.

01. details to third 02. considerable detail 03. include detail 04. precise detail 05. reveal detail 06. specific detail 07. technical detail 08. details regarding

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French détail, from Old French detail, from detaillier, from de- + taillier (“to cut”). Compare typologically Bulgarian подробност (podrobnost), Czech podrobnost, Russian подро́бность (podróbnostʹ) (akin to дроби́ть (drobítʹ)).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

detail(A1)

Related words

Idioms

Domain

Military

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

QR code

englishreference.com/q/detail

English Reference