immaterial

[im-uh-teer-ee-uhl]

adjective

1. of no essential consequence; unimportant.

2. not pertinent; irrelevant.

3. not material; incorporeal; spiritual.

immaterial

/ ˌɪməˈtɪərɪəl /

adjective

1. of no real importance; inconsequential

2. not formed of matter; incorporeal; spiritual

Other Word Forms

• immaterially adverb
• immateriality noun
• immaterialness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of immaterial¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word immāteriālis. See im- ², material

Example Sentences

The fact that no one has stepped forward with a firsthand account of false accusation is immaterial because the em dash drama plays on existing anxieties.

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"I don't know whether additional ships will be needed to remove everything or not, but to my mind that's largely immaterial," he said.

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Local board acceptance is immaterial in California and normally handled as a point of information.

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The play, about a fanciful tour guide of a dull and stately English country house who runs into conflict with a factually fastidious official at the historic property, was almost immaterial.

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In court documents seen by BBC News, the lawyers asked for multiple amendments to Ms Mangroe's complaint, insisting certain paragraphs are "immaterial" and "scandalous".

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Related Words

• extraneous 
• inconsequential 
• meaningless 
• trivial 
• unimportant