nonnotable

Nonnotable is an adjective used to describe something that lacks notability, meaning it does not meet criteria for significance, impact, or public interest in a given context. The term is not uniformly standardized and is more often expressed as not notable or lacking notability. In information science, publishing, and encyclopedic contexts, nonnotable elements may be excluded from databases, indexes, or coverage because they fail to meet established notability thresholds.

The word is formed from the prefix non- plus notable, with notable deriving from Latin notabilis meaning "worthy of notice," via Old French. The hyphenated form non-notable is common in editorial usage to reduce ambiguity with straightforward negation.

Usage of nonnotable varies by domain. In encyclopedia projects and reference work, a subject is typically considered nonnotable if it has little to no reliable third-party coverage; editors may delete, archive, or relegate the subject to a lower tier. In data curation, nonnotable records may be filtered during ingestion or flagged for future review. The term is rarely used in everyday speech outside formal evaluation contexts.

Because notability is context-dependent, labeling something nonnotable can obscure potential value in niche communities or emerging fields. Critics caution against premature exclusion based on limited sources and advocate for ongoing reassessment as coverage expands.

See also: notability, notable, notability guidelines, inclusion criteria.