immaterial Hear it!

immaterial Definition

im·ma·teri·al (im′ə tir′ē əl)

adjective

  1. not consisting of matter; incorporeal; spiritual
  2. that does not matter; not pertinent; unimportant

Etymology: ME immateriel < LL immaterialis: see in- & material

immaterial Related Forms
im′·ma·te′ri·al′·ity (-al′ə tē) noun pl. -·ties im′·ma·te′ri·ally adverb
immaterial Synonyms

immaterial

modif.

  1. Inconsequential

    insignificant, irrelevant, meaningless, unimportant; see irrelevant, trivial, unnecessary.

  2. Insubstantial

    incorporeal, spiritual, bodiless, disembodied, without substance, intangible, ethereal, aerial, shadowy, ghostly, metaphysical, impalpable.

    Antonyms real, physical*, substantial.

immaterial Usage Examples

Preposition: whether

  • person: It is immaterial whether the person incited is in the UK at the time of the incitement.
  • copying: It is immaterial whether such unauthorized copying is done with a view to personal convenience or for monetary gain.

Preposition: in

  • context: The fact that there has been an increase in the proportion emitted by the transport sector seems immaterial in this context.
  • term: The initial content of ethics is immaterial in the long term since abreaction always develops it.

Modifies a noun

  • substance: How is it possible for an immaterial substance, which can neither touch nor be touched to receive impressions?
  • soul: Does the idea of an immaterial immortal soul make sense?
  • being: We find the traditional mystical model -- with an immaterial being, a spirit that is you -- to be accurate.
  • mind: Substance dualism is the doctrine that mental states take place in a special, non-physical mental substance ( the immaterial mind ).
  • nature: In all cases, additional amendments of an immaterial nature have also been made.
  • rule: This isn't just an immaterial announcement rule regarding having a bet in texas hold em chip games over the net: use it.

Modifying Another Word

  • largely: Actually, the music is largely immaterial: what matters is what it looks like.
  • quite: Nature is not trying to save anyone, because the fate of whatever she gives birth to is quite immaterial to her.
  • so: How can I express the values of a thing at once so essential and so immaterial.
  • also: But more importantly, in contrast to numbers and geometrical shapes or intelligible laws, which are also immaterial, life is a living.
  • almost: The problems being set are generic - find out about a subject and report about it - and the subject matter is almost immaterial.
  • not: But since the spirits are not immaterial, they also feel pain ( 145 ).

Used with adjective complement

  • become: As a growing number of users choose to use online services only the location of the library service becomes immaterial to them.
  • seem: Whether or not they tweaked the truth a bit here and there, seems immaterial.