Irrelevant
/ˌɪrˈɛl.ə.vənt/noun
Not related to the matter being considered; not important in a particular context.
Did you know?Its core comes from Latin *relevare*, “to lighten” or “raise up,” so *irrelevant* is basically the opposite of something that “lifts” the issue—language as a force of weight and release.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
relevare
“to raise up, lighten, relieve”
Late Latin
Latin
irrelevans
“not lifting up; not pertinent”
14th Century
English
irrelevant
“not pertinent; not applicable”
Modern English
English
irrelevant
“not relevant or important to the matter at hand”