jot and tittle

Meanings

nounjot and tittle (countable and uncountable, plural jots and tittles)

countableidiomaticOften preceded by every: a smallest detail; (uncountable) the smallest details collectively.
He did not get every jot and tittle, but the plan ultimately adopted was viable.
5 more examples
If thou wilt be ſaved by the Law, it is not thy endeavour or doing; what lieth in thee that will ſerve the turn; every jot and tittle that the Law requires, muſt be fulfilled.
1640, James Usher [i.e., James Ussher], “Gal[atians] 3.22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”, in Eighteen Sermons Preached in Oxford 1640. […], London: […] S. Griffin, for John Rothwell […], published 1660, →OCLC, page 85
Then he gave me a Book of Jeſus his inditing, to incourage me the more freely to come: And he ſaid concerning that Book, That every jot and tittle thereof ſtood firmer then Heaven and earth.
1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 194
They deſire indeed to be exact in every Jot and Tittle, in the very ſmallest Points of Chriſtian Practice. But they are not attached to one Point more than another; they aim at uniform, univerſal Obedience.
1745, John Wesley, A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion. Part III, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and sold by T. Trye, […]; Henry Butler, […], →OCLC, paragraph 11, page 88
O all ye twelve Holy Fathers of our tribe! what a losing venture is this for one who hath duly kept every jot and tittle of the law of Moses.—Fifty zecchins wrenched from me at one clutch, and by the talons of a tyrant!
1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter X, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 203
Firm as the lasting hills, / This cov'nant shall endure, / Whose potent shalls and wills / Make ev'ry blessing sure: / When ruin shakes all nature's frame, / Its jots and tittles stand the same.
1826, John Kent, “Hymn XIII. P.M. The Same [Everlasting Love].”, in A Collection of Original Gospel Hymns, 6th edition, London: […] W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, […], →OCLC, stanza 2, page 11

Origin

Latintitulus“epitaph, inscription”
Middle Frenchtitele
Anglo-Normantitle
Middle Englishtitle“small written mark or stroke; smallest part”
Phoenician𐤉
Ancient Greekἰῶτα“the letter Ι, ι, the smallest in the alphabet; (figurative) a very small part of writing, jot”
Latiniōta“the Greek letter iota (Ι, ι)”
Middle Englishjote“jot, tittle, whit”
Englishjot and tittle

A reference to Matthew 5:18 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle, shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” The Koine Greek phrase is ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία (iôta hèn ḕ mía keraía). Jot (“the smallest letter or stroke of any writing, iota”) is derived from Middle English jote (“jot, tittle, whit”), from Latin iōta (“the Greek letter iota (Ι, ι)”), from Ancient Greek ἰῶτα (iôta, “the letter Ι, ι, the smallest in the alphabet; (figurative) a very small part of writing, jot”), from Phoenician 𐤉 (y‬ /⁠yōd⁠/). Tittle (“small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark; (figurative) small, insignificant amount, modicum, speck”) is derived from Middle English title (“small written mark or stroke; smallest part”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman title, tittle [and other forms], and Middle French titele, title (“inscription”) (modern French titre), and from their etymon Latin titulus (“epitaph, inscription”); further etymology uncertain, but thought to be of Etruscan origin.