What does irrelevance mean?
Irrelevance is the condition of having no bearing on a particular subject, issue, or purpose. It is used to describe information, arguments, questions, details, or actions that do not help explain or resolve the matter at hand. The word often appears in formal discussion of communication, research, law, and debate, where distinguishing relevant material from distracting material is important. Irrelevance can also suggest that something has no practical importance, although this meaning overlaps with insignificance. In conversation, calling something irrelevant is usually a criticism: it means that the person has overlooked what the discussion requires. The word is closely related to the adjective irrelevant and the more familiar noun relevance. Whether a detail is irrelevant depends on context, so even a fact that is accurate may be irrelevant to a particular question or goal.
nounThe quality of being irrelevant, especially of lacking any bearing on a subject or situation. It can also refer to something that is unimportant because it has no effect or influence.
- The quality of not being relevant or applicable to a particular subject or situation.
- The state of being unimportant or having no practical effect.
"The speaker was criticized for the irrelevance of his comments."
"The length of the article was irrelevant to the main question."
"The committee dismissed the proposal as an irrelevance and returned to the original agenda."
The plural is uncommon; the uncountable form is normally preferred when referring to the condition generally.
"The editor cut several irrelevances from the interview."
A fact can be true and still irrelevant: relevance depends on the question being asked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does irrelevance come from?
The word was formed in English by adding the noun-forming suffix “-ance” to the adjective “irrelevant,” with a corresponding shift in stress. “Irrelevant” is a negation of “relevant,” a word whose roots lie in Latin. In modern usage, “irrelevance” developed from the general sense of being unconnected or not pertinent into a noun naming the condition or quality itself.
Related word forms
How irrelevance is actually used
The noun is most often uncountable, especially in formal and analytical contexts. The plural is uncommon but is used for individual matters considered irrelevant.
Easily confused with irrelevance
Irrelevance concerns whether something relates to a particular issue, whereas insignificance concerns whether it matters at all.