pertinence

noun

per·​ti·​nence ˈpər-tə-nən(t)s How to pronounce pertinence (audio)
ˈpərt-nən(t)s
: the quality or state of being pertinent : relevance

Examples of pertinence in a Sentence

job applicants should question the pertinence of any questions about their personal lives
Recent Examples on the Web In this case, the concept works in reverse: today’s updates are ostensibly for mainstream audiences, yet also have strong pertinence in a disability context. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 Yet the deliberately provocative tone of Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s speech Tuesday – part of a comprehensive broadside on all immigration – risked obscuring the pertinence of one of her other core themes. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2023 On Wednesday, attorneys for both families argued about the pertinence of Roberta Laundrie’s letter to the upcoming civil trial before the judge ruled that a copy be given to Petito’s parents. Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 26 May 2023 Of course, users will have to sort and verify the information for pertinence and accuracy, the LLM nonetheless captures vital information from across the entire organization, fostering greater knowledge. Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 At the same time, this information's medical pertinence to COVID-19 transmission or lethality is not broadly understood, unlike other demographic distinctions such as age, ethnicity, pre-existing conditions or occupations (such as front-line health care workers). Editorial Board, Star Tribune, 5 Mar. 2021 The change comes amid calls for the foundation’s awards and categories to properly and realistically reflect today’s culinary and media scenes as culinary and media professionals question the pertinence of the James Beard Foundation’s role in the industry. Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al, 20 Aug. 2020 It’s arrived nearly a year late in her hometown, but her disquieted art has only grown in pertinence and power. Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2021 The pertinence of that last detail would become all too clear a little more than a decade later, with the Great Fire of 1872. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pertinence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pertinence was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near pertinence

Cite this Entry

“Pertinence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pertinence. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

pertinence

noun
per·​ti·​nence ˈpərt-ᵊn-ən(t)s How to pronounce pertinence (audio)
ˈpərt-nən(t)s
: the quality or state of being pertinent : relevance

More from Merriam-Webster on pertinence

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!