noun
impertinence
Lack of relevance or suitability to the matter at hand.
The judge rejects the evidence for its impertinence to the case.
Etymology
The negative prefix denies pertinence. Impertinence here names a failure to belong to the subject or situation under discussion, before the familiar shift toward rudeness.
More examples
- The anecdote is amusing, but its impertinence to the topic distracts readers.
- The editor questions the impertinence of a fashion tip in a gardening guide.
- We omit those statistics because of their impertinence to our research question.
Forms
impertinence
impertinent adjective — Not relevant to the matter under discussion.
Similar words
- irrelevance
- The usual modern word for lack of topical connection.
- inappropriateness
- Emphasizes poor suitability for a particular situation or purpose.