non sequitur

[ non -sek-wi-ter, -toor; Latin nohn -se-kwi-toor ]

/ nɒn ˈsɛk wɪ tər, -ˌtʊər; Latin noʊn ˈsɛ kwɪˌtʊər /

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noun

Logic. an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.

a statement containing an illogical conclusion: The built environment has to be more presentable than it was in the past, but it's a non sequitur to claim that this must occur at the expense of cultural value.

something said or written that is unrelated to what immediately precedes: Your comment is at best a non sequitur, and bears zero relevance to the issue at point.

an illogical or unconnected shift from one thing to another: The Tibetan prints to the right of the formal portrait—with their religious figures and mandala-like patterns—initially seem like a non sequitur.

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Origin of non sequitur

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin nōn sequitur “it does not follow”

Words nearby non sequitur

nonsense syllable, nonsense triplet, nonsense verse, nonsensical, non seq., non sequitur, nonsexist, nonsexual, nonsexual generation, nonsighted, nonsingular

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use non sequitur in a sentence

It is a completely incongruous non sequitur to everything that had transpired before.
My life was upended for 35 years by a cancer diagnosis. A doctor just told me I was misdiagnosed.|Jeff Henigson|March 26, 2021|Washington Post
It’s a bizarre non sequitur that feels like Parks flipped through a quote book and sprinkled in a down-homey proverb as an attempt at character development.
New Aretha bioseries dramatizes singer’s turbulent life|Joey DiGuglielmo|March 19, 2021|Washington Blade
The sequence is a quiet, meditative and ominous non sequitur about the tragedy of humanity’s longing for meaning or direction.
‘Cyberpunk 2077,’ three months later|Gene Park|March 12, 2021|Washington Post
There are many talented young winemakers in Champagne approaching their work with an eye toward natural winemaking, although some have argued that the very concept of “natural Champagne” is something of a non sequitur.
You Should Be Drinking Grower Champagne|Jordan Michelman|February 11, 2021|Eater

There was a lot of positive feedback from people interested in non-gender binary people.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She ultimately ditched JSwipe after about a week and found her current, non-Jewish, boyfriend on OkCupid.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
An atheist counsels his fellow non-believers on how not to talk to people of faith.
The Case Against In-Your-Face Atheism|Steve Neumann|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The distinction between over-policing and non-responsiveness was alive and well in Bed-Stuy.
Ground Zero of the NYPD Slowdown|Batya Ungar-Sargon|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Last summer, Louisiana also banned non-legal adoption, with offenders facing a penalty of $5,000 and up to five years in prison.
Judge: Rehoming Kids Is Trafficking|Tina Traster|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The expatriated ex-rebels became alarmed by the non-receipt of the indemnity instalment and the news from their homes.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
He also states that the Audiencia is virtually non-existent, and so there is no high court in which justice may be sought.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
De moi, je ne say qu'en dire, d'autant que je ne veux affirmer ny le si ny le non en ce dont je n'ay vidence.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Certes le capitaine Merveilles et ses gens monstrerent leur pit non vulgaire.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
It teaches you to take your time, or as the Germans call it, it gives you "Ruhe (repose)," the grand sine qua non!
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for non sequitur

non sequitur

/ (ˈnɒn ˈsɛkwɪtə) /

noun

a statement having little or no relevance to what preceded it

logic a conclusion that does not follow from the premises

Abbreviation: non seq

Word Origin for non sequitur

Latin, literally: it does not follow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for non sequitur

non sequitur

[ (non sek-wuh-tuhr) ]

A thought that does not logically follow what has just been said: “We had been discussing plumbing, so her remark about astrology was a real non sequitur.” Non sequitur is Latin for “It does not follow.”

non sequitur

Origin of non sequitur

Words nearby non sequitur

Words related to non sequitur

How to use non sequitur in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for non sequitur

Word Origin for non sequitur

Cultural definitions for non sequitur