What does immaterially mean?
Immaterial means that something is too small, slight, or unimportant to affect a practical result. The adverb immaterially is used especially when comparing figures, consequences, differences, or effects: a change may be described as immaterially small or a distinction as immaterially different. Its tone is formal and exacting, suggesting that the issue has been considered but judged negligible. Although the word can sometimes sound unnecessarily emphatic, it is especially useful in technical, legal, financial, or analytical writing when precision matters and a difference truly has no meaningful consequence. It is derived from the adjective immaterial, which in turn combines the Latin prefix im-, meaning “not,” with material.
adverbIn a way that has no material significance; to an extent that is so small as to be negligible.
- To an extent that is insignificant or negligible.
"The adjustment had an immaterially small effect on the final total."
"The two versions differ only immaterially in their underlying assumptions."
"The error was immaterially small and had no effect on the result."
Sometimes the most important thing a decision does is make no practical difference at all.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does immaterially come from?
Immaterial was formed in the 16th century from the Latin-derived prefix im-, meaning “not,” and material, a word borrowed from Latin materialis and ultimately related to mater, meaning “mother” and, by extension, matter or substance. The adverb immaterially was formed by adding the suffix -ly to the adjective in the 18th century. It belongs to a family that includes immateriality and immaterially, while material and materially form its contrasting root.
Related word forms
How immaterially is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon word. It is usually used in contexts involving quantities, differences, effects, or distinctions that are considered practically negligible.