obetydlig

Obetydlig is an adjective in Swedish that describes something of little importance or consequence. It denotes a lack of significance or measurable impact in a given context and is commonly used in formal, academic, and everyday language to refer to small differences, amounts, or effects regarded as negligible rather than meaningful.

Etymology: The term is formed from betydlig (significant) with the prefix o- meaning not. It is semantically related to betydelse (meaning, significance) and to expressions that signal limited importance. The negation pattern is typical for Swedish adjectives and follows standard inflection rules.

Usage: Obetydlig modifies a noun, as in en obetydlig skillnad (an insignificant difference) or en obetydlig kostnad (a negligible cost). It can describe results, changes, or factors in research, reporting, and analysis that do not materially alter conclusions. The word carries a negative connotation, but it is a precise, neutral descriptor when used to quantify importance or impact.

Grammatical notes: Obetydlig is inflected like other Swedish adjectives, with the comparative obetydligare and the superlative obetydligaste. In some contexts, speakers may prefer phrases such as “inte särskilt betydande” for emphasis.

See also: betydlig, betydelse, obetydlighet.