irrelevant
UK: ɪˈrɛləvənt | US: ɪˈrɛləvənt
adj. not connected with or relevant to something
adj. lacking importance or significance
irrelevant = ir<not> + relevant<connected>
- ir<not>: A prefix derived from Latin in- (negation), assimilated to ir- before r.
- relevant<connected>: From Latin relevare ("to lift up, lighten"), combining re- (again) + levare (to raise). Evolved to mean "pertinent" in English.
Etymology Origin:
The word irrelevant emerged in the late 16th century, directly opposing relevant by adding the negative prefix ir-. Its roots trace back to Latin relevare, which metaphorically shifted from physical lifting (levare) to abstract significance ("bearing on the matter"). The negation ir- logically flips the meaning to "not applicable."
His comments were completely irrelevant to the discussion.
The judge ruled the evidence irrelevant and dismissed it.
She ignored the irrelevant details and focused on key facts.
Personal opinions are often irrelevant in scientific debates.
The outdated data became irrelevant after the new study was published.