inapposite
|in-ap-po-site|
/ɪnˈæpəzɪt/
not appropriate; irrelevant
Etymology
'inapposite' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'in-' + the past participle 'appositus', where 'in-' meant 'not' and 'appositus' meant 'placed near' or 'appropriate'.
'inapposite' changed from the adjective 'apposite' (from Latin 'appositus') used in Middle English, with the negative prefix 'in-' added to form 'inapposite' in later English.
Initially, the element 'appositus' conveyed the idea of being 'placed near' or 'suitable', and with the prefix 'in-' it originally meant 'not placed near' or 'not suitable'; over time it evolved into the current sense of 'not appropriate' or 'irrelevant'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not appropriate or suitable in the circumstances; improper.
His comment was inapposite to the serious tone of the meeting.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
not relevant; not to the point; irrelevant or beside the point.
Bringing up past grievances was inapposite to resolving the current issue.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 05:22