Pertinent

/ˈpɜːrtnənt/

adjectivemedium📊CommonDescriptive
1 meaning3 questions

Definitions

1

Relating to the matter at hand; relevant.

/ˈpɜːrtnənt/

adjectiveneutralmedium
Descriptive

Relevant and applicable to a particular matter.

The detective gathered all the pertinent facts of the case.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're talking about your favorite ice cream. If someone asks a question about the taste, that's a *pertinent* question! It relates to your topic.

👶 For kids: Something that is pertinent is important and has to do with what you're talking about.

More Examples

2

Her comments were not pertinent to the discussion.

3

Please provide only the pertinent information.

How It's Used

Legal

"The lawyer asked only pertinent questions."

Academic

"The professor expected students to include only pertinent information in their essays."

Business

"Please ensure your emails only include pertinent details."

Synonyms & Antonyms

From Latin *pertinēre* meaning 'to belong to, relate to'.

Used since the 16th century, originally referring to belonging to something. Its meaning has evolved to specifically describe relevance.

Memory tip

Think of 'pertaining' to the issue at hand.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"to belong to, relate to"

Base: pertinent
pertinent informationpertinent questionspertinent detailspertinent remarkspertinent facts

Common misspellings

pertinenttpertinant

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written