irrelevant
ih-REL-uh-vunt
/ɪˈrɛlɪvənt/
Not connected with or pertinent to something.
Means "not relevant." It's about pertinence and connection to the matter at hand, not necessarily age or functionality. Something new can be irrelevant, just as something old can be.
The story behind the word. "Irrelevant" comes from the Latin prefix in- (meaning "not") combined with the root of "relevant." "Relevant" itself comes from the Latin relevare, meaning "to lift up" or "to lighten," which later evolved to mean "to be pertinent" or "to bear upon." So, "irrelevant" literally means "not bearing upon" or "not lifting up" the matter at hand – it doesn't contribute to the topic.
Word relationships
- unrelated: Not connected.
- inapplicable: Not applicable.
- extraneous: Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with.
- relevant: Closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand.
- pertinent: Relevant or applicable to a particular matter.
- germane: Relevant and appropriate.
Commonly confused with
- redundant: "Irrelevant" means not pertinent. "Redundant" means superfluous or extra. A redundant piece of information might still be relevant, just unnecessary.
Word family
- relevance (noun): the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate.
- irrelevance (noun): the state of being irrelevant.
Collocations
- completely irrelevant
- largely irrelevant
- become irrelevant
- irrelevant details
- irrelevant information
Example sentences
- "His personal feelings were irrelevant to the legal proceedings." Discussing legal matters.
- "The color of the car is irrelevant; what matters is its fuel efficiency." Comparing product features.
- "Much of the data collected proved to be irrelevant to the research question." Referring to research data.
Memory hook
"IR-RELEVANT" – ir (not) relevant. It's not connected to the topic. Not relevant
When not to use
Don't confuse "irrelevant" with "wrong" or "unimportant." Something can be important but irrelevant to a specific discussion.
Fun facts
- The word "relevant" originally had a legal sense, meaning "legally pertinent" or "admissible in evidence."
Explore more words
spurious, disconnect, secular, irrevocable, inane, impertinence
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