overparticularize

English

Etymology

over- +‎ particularize

Verb

overparticularize (third-person singular simple present overparticularizes, present participle overparticularizing, simple past and past participle overparticularized)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To speak [of] in excessively particular terms; overspecify.
   • 1991 December 22, Steven Capra, “We Have To Be Careful”, in Gay Community News, volume 19, number 23, page 4:

     The phrase "gay and lesbian" in the names of our organizations has apparently completed its evolution to "gay, lesbian and bisexual." The next step, no doubt, will be to adopt the French construction and label ourselves, collectively, "gay, lesbian, bisexual and bisexuelles," to differentiate between males and females attracted to both sexes. Overparticularizing hurts our image. Presenting ourselves as a coalition of three subgroups suggests to the standard All-American bigot a kabal of "special-interest groups" (as conservatives call us). It presents three "ugly" words to be assimilated, instead of one—three "fringe" groups to be accommodated.