relevance

Often rel·e·van·cy

[rel-uh-vuhns]

noun

1. the condition of being relevant, or connected with the matter at hand.

   Some traditional institutions of the media lack relevance in this digital age.

Word History and Origins

Origin of relevance¹

First recorded in 1620–30, for an earlier sense; relev(ant) ( def. ) + -ance ( def. )

Example Sentences

Broadcast news has lost relevance for some in the era of opinion-oriented cable news, social media and podcasts.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

These results reinforce the potential relevance of the beverage as an adjunct in the treatment of obesity in humans.

Read more on Science Daily

There are no talking heads in Peck’s film, no experts spelling out the relevance of an author who died in 1950.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Each submission is evaluated on its merits, and decisions regarding subsequent action are made in accordance with investigative standards and the relevance of the information to the established facts."

Read more on BBC

We needed to know about the backgrounds and relevance to the story of potential interviewees and where filming would be an acceptable risk to take in a warzone where nowhere is safe.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• applicability 
• importance 
• purpose