irrelevant
Use Irrelevant in a sentence
adjective
1.
not relevant; not applicable or pertinent: His lectures often stray to interesting but irrelevant subjects.
2.
Law. (of evidence) having no probative value upon any issue in the case.
Origin:
1780–90
1780–90
Related forms
ir·rel·e·vant·ly, adverb
Pronunciation note
The pronunciation of irrelevant [ih-rel-uh-vuh
nt] as [ih-rev-uh-luhnt] as if spelled irrevelant, is the result of metathesis, the transposition of two sounds, in this case, the [l] and the [v] Relevant, the base word, is occasionally subject to the same process. Analogy with words like prevalent and equivalent may play a role. A similar reordering of the [l] and [v] consonant sounds, althought not a strict one-to-one metathesis, can be heard for Calvary [kal-vuh-ree] when pronounced [kav-uhl-ree]. Here the transposition is reinforced by the existence of the familiar word cavalry.
The pronunciation of irrelevant
[ih-rel-uh-vuhnt] as [ih-rev-uh-luhnt] as if spelled irrevelant, is the result of metathesis, the transposition of two sounds, in this case, the [l] and the [v] Relevant, the base word, is occasionally subject to the same process. Analogy with words like prevalent and equivalent may play a role. A similar reordering of the [l] and [v] consonant sounds, althought not a strict one-to-one metathesis, can be heard for Calvary [kal-vuh-ree] when pronounced [kav-uhl-ree]. Here the transposition is reinforced by the existence of the familiar word cavalry.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To irrelevant
00:10
Irrelevant
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is irrational. Does it mean:
| to supply land with water by artificial means |
| not in accordance with reason; utterly illogical: |
Collins
World English Dictionary
irrelevant (ɪˈrɛləvənt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| not relating or pertinent to the matter at hand; not important | |
| ir'relevance | |
| —n | |
| ir'relevancy | |
| —n | |
| ir'relevantly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
The differences are so slight that the researchers suspect them to be functionally irrelevant.
Applications that piggyback on existing features are naturally at risk of becoming irrelevant, he says.
Your statement was totally irrelevant and should find some new sources for your information.
It's difficult to see how anyone can consider issues surrounding potentially fatal poisons as irrelevant to human health.
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