insignificant

American  

[in-sig-nif-i-kuhnt] / ˌɪn sɪgˈnɪf ɪ kənt /

adjective

1. unimportant, trifling, or petty.

   Omit the insignificant details.

2. too small to be important.

   an insignificant sum.

   Synonyms:

   picayune, minuscule, minute, trifling

3. of no consequence, influence, or distinction.

   a minor, insignificant bureaucrat.

4. without weight of character; contemptible.

   an insignificant fellow.

5. without meaning; meaningless.

   insignificant sounds.

---

noun

1. a word, thing, or person without significance.

insignificant British  

/ ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt /

adjective

1. having little or no importance; trifling

2. almost or relatively meaningless

3. small or inadequate

   an insignificant wage

4. not distinctive in character, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• insignificance noun
• insignificantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of insignificant

First recorded in 1620–30; in- ³ + significant

Example Sentences

"Even if you had witnessed something you feel is of no importance, seemingly insignificant pieces of information could be of great help," they said in a statement released by West Midlands Police.

From BBC

A difference of 477 millionths of a second may seem insignificant.

From Science Daily

Suddenly, their erstwhile insignificant finale against Arizona on Sunday is vitally important.

From Los Angeles Times

But in a not insignificant number of cases, the fee to borrow certain stocks is much higher—in some cases over 100% annualized.

From Barron's

Students with moderate or severe symptoms showed a notably reduced percentage of circulatory NK cells, while those with minimal or mild symptoms showed only a small and statistically insignificant decrease.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• inconsequential
• infinitesimal
• irrelevant
• meager
• meaningless
• minimal
• minor
• minuscule
• negligible
• paltry
• pointless
• senseless
• trivial
• unimportant