immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

1

: of no substantial consequence : unimportant

It's immaterial if you stay or go.

2

: not consisting of matter : incorporeal

ghosts and other immaterial entities

Synonyms of immaterial

• spiritual
• incorporeal
• metaphysical
• nonmaterial
• invisible
• supernatural
• nonphysical
• insubstantial

Examples of immaterial in a Sentence

Whether or not he intended to cause problems is immaterial.

The fact that she is a woman is immaterial and irrelevant.

Recent Examples on the Web

But whether the Beach fair maintains its hold on the larger art world after 23 years is immaterial, said veteran Miami collector, artist and filmmaker Dennis Scholl at Wednesday’s opening. —Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 3 Dec. 2025

As long as the order is understandable, the form of the order is immaterial, as is the method by which it is transmitted to the accused. —Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

Whether the Fed lowers its benchmark rate in December or January is immaterial, as long as the central bank persists in cutting interest rates. —Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 14 Nov. 2025

How and when, exactly, that divorce occurs is immaterial; there’s no coming back from this, and Penn State and Franklin both need something new. —Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English immaterial, from Late Latin immaterialis, from Latin in- + Late Latin materialis material

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for immaterial

• magisterial
• managerial
• ministerial
• nonmaterial
• presbyterial
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal

Kids Definition

immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌim-ə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

1

: not consisting of matter

2

: not important : insignificant

Legal Definition

immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

: not essential, pertinent, or of consequence

the jury could have discounted the medical history evidence, or while accepting its accuracy, found it immaterial

—Willett v. State, 911 S.W.2d 937 (1995)

compare irrelevant

immateriality

ˌi-mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun