irrelevante

Irrelevante is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to indicate that something is not pertinent or not important to a particular matter. In Italian, the closest equivalent is irrilevante. The term is common in formal and informal discourse, including legal, academic, and journalistic contexts.

Etymology and forms: Irrelevante derives from the Latin relevans, the present participle of relevare, meaning to lift or raise. The prefix in- yields the sense of negation, giving “not relevant.” In Spanish and Portuguese the word is invariable for gender and number in many contexts (e.g., un dato irrelevante, dos datos irrelevantes). In Italian, the equivalent irrilevante follows similar usage, with gender and number inflected according to the noun.

Usage: The word is used to label information, details, or arguments as inconsequential to a given issue. Examples: “Ese detalle es irrelevante para este caso.” In scientific writing, it can describe data or variables that do not contribute meaningfully to an analysis, leading to their exclusion from models or discussions.

Context and related terms: Irrelevante often appears in contrast with relevante or relevancia, which denote significance or pertinence. It is a neutral term, though its tone can vary with context depending on whether something is being dismissed or simply deprioritized.

See also: relevancia, irrelevancia, irrilevante (Italian).