nonpertinent

Nonpertinent is an adjective meaning not pertinent; not relevant to the matter at hand; lacking pertinence. The word is formed by adding the prefix non- to pertinent, which itself derives from Latin pertaining to, meaning to relate or belong to a topic.

Usage is common in legal and formal contexts as well as in general writing. In law, nonpertinent evidence or testimony refers to information that does not relate to the issues in dispute and may be excluded from consideration. In everyday language, nonpertinent describes remarks, questions, or data that have little or no bearing on the subject being discussed.

Examples include a lawyer objecting to a question as nonpertinent to the case, or a report including nonpertinent details that do not illuminate the investigation. In reasoning and analysis, labeling an element as nonpertinent signals that it should be disregarded for purposes of the current discussion.

Synonyms include irrelevant, immaterial, and extraneous, while antonyms include pertinent and relevant. Nonpertinent is often used to emphasize a lack of relevance rather than a weak or indirect relationship, though it can be similar to tangential in indicating something is off-topic.

In summary, nonpertinent denotes information or remarks that do not bear on the subject under consideration and are typically excluded from formal evaluation or discussion.