negligibile

Negligibile is an adjective used to describe something so small or insignificant that it can be ignored in analysis, decision making, or practical application. The idea is to separate effects, quantities, or differences that do not meaningfully affect outcomes within a given tolerance or context.

Origin and cognates

The concept derives from the Latin neglegibilis, formed from neglegere “to neglect.” In related languages, similar forms exist: the French word négligeable corresponds to the same idea, and Romanian uses neglijabil in a closely related sense. The English term negligible is the most common form in technical and scientific writing, while negligibile and its cognates appear in some Romance-language contexts.

Usage in science and policy

In mathematics, physics, and engineering, a quantity is described as negligible if its magnitude is below a chosen threshold and can be discarded without affecting conclusions. This appears in asymptotic approximations, error analysis, and rounding rules. In statistics and risk assessment, “negligible” refers to a probability or impact that is considered too small to matter for a given decision or regulatory standard. The designation is context-dependent: what is negligible in one scenario may not be in another if the tolerance is changed.

Relation to other terms

Negligibile is closely related to terms such as insignificant, immaterial, and trivial. The exact choice depends on the domain, the precision required, and the tolerance defined for the particular analysis.

See also: negligible error, tolerance, asymptotic analysis, risk threshold.