Originally Posted by chrishirst

<pedantic>
And anyway it's nit picker ("nit" being a term for the eggs of head lice)
</pedantic>

Knit picker would maybe imply a nervous habit of pulling at strands in woollen clothing.

If we're gonna nitpick, it's actually nitpicker (no space).

Originally Posted by smoseley

If we're gonna nitpick, it's actually nitpicker (no space).

"Verb nit-pick is first attested 1962, from earlier nitpicker "pedantic critic" (1951)" - note the dash!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nit

Ok, so it's optionally hyphenated, but never with a space! I mean seriously, who uses a space in the word nit-picker?