irrelevance

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪˈrɛləvəns/ UK /ɪˈrɛləvəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the state of having no bearing on the matter at hand

The lawyer objected to the question's irrelevance.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state of having no... immaterialityinapplicabilityinappositenessunrelatednessbeside-the-pointness

Opposites

relevance pertinence applicability

Word family

Related forms irrelevant relevant relevance

Etymology

From in- 'not' plus relevance, from relevant, from Medieval Latin relevans, present participle of relevare 'to raise, lift up, bear upon', from re- plus levare 'to lighten, raise'.

relevare Latin levare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# irrelevance

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈrɛləvəns/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈrɛləvəns/

## Meanings
1. the state of having no bearing on the matter at hand

## Examples
- The lawyer objected to the question's irrelevance.

## Synonyms
- immateriality
- inapplicability
- inappositeness
- unrelatedness
- beside-the-pointness

## Antonyms
- relevance
- pertinence
- applicability

## Related Forms
- irrelevant
- relevant
- relevance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: relevare
- Root: levare

## Etymology
From in- 'not' plus relevance, from relevant, from Medieval Latin relevans, present participle of relevare 'to raise, lift up, bear upon', from re- plus levare 'to lighten, raise'.

## AI Etymology
Irrelevance comes from in- 'not' plus relevance, from relevant, from Medieval Latin relevans, present participle of relevare 'to raise, lift up, bear upon', from re- plus levare 'to lighten, raise'. The form preserves a compact historical development in which the older wording and the present sense remain closely connected. As a noun, it denotes "the state of having no bearing on the matter at hand", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin relevare and Latin levare. Related words include irrelevant, relevant, relevance.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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