relevant

[rel-uh-vuhnt]

adjective

bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent: a relevant remark.

Origin of relevant

1550–60; < Medieval Latin relevant- (stem of relevāns), special use of Latin, present participle of relevāre to raise, lift up. See relieve, -ant

Related formsrel·e·vance, rel·e·van·cy, nounrel·e·vant·ly, adverbnon·rel·e·vant, adjectiveun·rel·e·vant, adjectiveun·rel·e·vant·ly, adverb

Synonyms for relevant

applicable, germane, apposite, appropriate, suitable, fitting.

Synonym study

See apt.

Pronunciation note

See irrelevant.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for unrelevant

relevant

adjective

having direct bearing on the matter in hand; pertinent

linguistics another word for distinctive (def. 2)

Derived Formsrelevance or relevancy, nounrelevantly, adverb

Word Origin for relevant

C16: from Medieval Latin relevans, from Latin relevāre to lighten, from re- + levāre to raise, relieve

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

Word Origin and History for unrelevant

relevant

adj.

"pertinent to the matter at hand," 1550s, from Middle French relevant "depending upon," originally "helpful," from Medieval Latin relevantem (nominative relevans), from stem of Latin relevare "to lessen, lighten" (see relieve). Not generally used until after 1800.