Pedantry

[1][2] Pedantry is the adjective form of the 1580s English word pedant, which meant a male schoolteacher at the time.

Both of these words are likely an alteration of Late Latin word "paedagogantem", meaning a "person who trumpets minor points of learning, one who overrates learning or lays undue stress on exact knowledge of details...as compared with large matters or general principles.

[citation needed] Ultimately, pedantry could be viewed as an attempt to show superiority by appearing more intelligent, through tasks as simple as correcting a peer's grammar online.

[5] In modern times, pedantry is also often used as an intentional tactic or unintentional act which distracts from larger issues by focusing on minor details instead.

[citation needed] For instance, a pedant might dismiss or invalidate a comprehensive, logical argument due to a few minor grammatical errors.