4 syllables: Ir, re, le, vant. Stress on re.
ir-EL-uh-vuhnt
/ˌɪˈɹɛləvənt/
Irrelevant is pronounced ir-EL-uh-vuhnt (/ˌɪˈɹɛləvənt/). It has four syllables (Ir-re-le-vant), with the stress on "re". Irrelevant is an adjective meaning not connected with or relevant to something. It describes information, remarks, or factors that do not pertain to the matter at hand. In use, it often signals that a point should not influence the current discussion or decision.
adjectiveIrrelevant is an adjective meaning not connected with or relevant to something. It describes information, remarks, or factors that do not pertain to the matter at hand. In use, it often signals that a point should not influence the current discussion or decision.
How to Pronounce Irrelevant
"The witness’s comment was irrelevant to the case and was later struck from the record."
"She kept bringing up irrelevant details, which only confused the jury."
"The professor dismissed the irrelevant data and focused on the core findings."
Say it as /ˌɪrɪˈlevənt/ (US) or /ˌɪrɪˈlɛvənt/ (UK/AU). Stress falls on the third syllable: i-ri-LEV-ant. Begin with a light, unstressed 'i' (short I), then a quick 'ri' pair, then the stressed 'LEV' with a clear 'e' as in 'bed,' and finish with 'ənt' as a schwa plus 'nt'. Listen for the subtle reduction in the first syllable in natural speech.
Common errors include misplacing stress on the wrong syllable (e.g., /ˌɪˈrɛləvənt/), pronouncing the second syllable as a full vowel rather than a schwa in the middle, and over-pronouncing the final '-ant' as /ænt/ instead of /ənt/. Correction: keep stress on LEV (third syllable) and use a light, unstressed middle syllable /lə/ or /lə/ with a soft schwa. Final '-ant' should be /ənt/ in standard speech.
US tends to use /ˌɪrɪˈlevənt/ with a rhotic r and a clear /ɪ`/ on the first syllable. UK/AU share /ˌɪrɪˈlɛvənt/ with non-rhotic or lightly rhotic tendencies; the second vowel is often a short /ɛ/ before the /v/. Australian speakers may shorten the final vowel slightly and reduce the second syllable more, yielding /ˌɪɹɪˈlɛvənt/ with a prominent non-rhotic 'r' when not in rhotic contexts.
Three main challenges: stress timing across four syllables with a strong secondary stress on LEV, vowel reduction in the middle syllable (often a schwa), and the 'rl' cluster after the initial i- sound blending into the LEV syllable. Achieve ease by isolating /ɪr/ then /ɪˈlev/ then /ənt/ and practicing transitions with connected speech to prevent vowel spill or consonant doubling.
Yes—the blend from 'ir' to 're' and the onset 'ri-' with the following /ˈlevənt/. Some speakers misplace the primary stress on LEV but the correct pattern is e.g., /ˌɪrɪˈlevənt/. This requires careful mouth positioning: start with a lightly aspirated /ɪr/ in a quick transition to the /lev/ vowel, then a light /ənt/. It is a typical case of mid-word secondary stress interaction.
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Irrelevant originates from the Latin Latin irrelevāns, formed from in- (not) + relevāre (to relieve, to bend back). The root relevance comes from relevāre, while the prefix in- negates it. It entered Middle English via Old French and Latin influences as a formal term in logical, legal, and rhetorical contexts to denote information or arguments that do not bear on the issue. The sense of not pertinent to the matter at hand became standard in the 17th-18th centuries, though the word’s semantic core— absence of bearing on the question—dates back to classical rhetorical classification. First known use in English attested around the 16th century in scholarly and philosophical discourse, expanding to general usage in modern English with the rise of formal debate and analytical writing. The term maintains a technical, evaluative tension: something can be true or accurate yet irrelevant to the topic at hand, which is a common distinction in reasoning and argumentation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Irrelevant" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Irrelevant" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Irrelevant"
-nt? sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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