relevant
- 1Connected with what you are talking about or doing, and so worth thinking about.
Like a puzzle piece that fits the picture you are building.
Please keep your questions relevant to today's lesson.
She shared a few facts that were relevant to the case.
UsageUse to after it: relevant to the lesson.
Oppositeirrelevant
Note
- 2Still useful or important now, not old or out of date.
Like fresh bread instead of stale bread that has gone hard.
These old maps are no longer relevant for modern travel.
The teacher chose a topic that still feels relevant to students today.
UsageOften said as still relevant or relevant again.
Similarcurrent, applicable
Oppositeoutdated, dated, obsolete
Note
- 3Well known, popular, or worth paying attention to right now.
Like a song that everyone is still singing today.
That singer is still relevant after twenty years in music.
Everyone says the show is relevant again thanks to social media.
UsageOften with stay or remain: stay relevant. In careful writing, say popular or well known.
Note
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of relevant apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
It comes from a Scots word meaning "legally pertinent," used by Scottish lawyers in the early 1500s. It goes back to Latin relevō, meaning "lift up again."
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Relevant comes from Scots relevant, meaning legally pertinent. en.wiktionary.org
- The Scots word was used in Scottish legal circles in the early 1500s. en.wiktionary.org
- The word ultimately derives from Latin relevō, meaning lift up again. en.wiktionary.org