Basic Details
Word: Relevant
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Closely connected to the subject or situation, and so useful or important to it.
Synonyms: pertinent, related, applicable, significant
Antonyms: irrelevant, unrelated
How to Spell Relevant
Syllables: rel - e - vant
Tricky part: Two e's come first and the a comes last. Students write relevent, or swap the l and v to make revelant.
Watch out for: relevent, relavant, revelant
Memory tip: The first four letters, rele, are the same as the start of release. Then finish with vant, spelt like the end of servant.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Only write the facts relevant to the question.
Example 2: Is this old map of Delhi still relevant today?
Example 3: Her story was relevant to our class discussion on saving water.
Fun Fact
Relevant comes from the Latin relevare, to raise up or lighten, which is also the source of the English word relieve.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word relevant as used in the sentence:
The lawyer asked the witness to stick to facts that were relevant to the case.
a) important
b) unrelated
c) pertinent
d) applicable
Show answer
b) unrelated. Relevant facts are connected to the case; unrelated facts have nothing to do with it.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. relevent 2. persistent 3. independent 4. permanent
a) lasting for ever
b) continuing firmly despite problems
c) connected to what is being discussed
d) free from the control of others
Show answer
c) connected to what is being discussed. Persistent, independent and permanent are spelt right; relevant ends in -ant, not -ent.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
Please keep your answer short and tavleern to the topic.
a) travel
b) elevator
c) relevant
d) relevance
Show answer
c) relevant. Relevance ends in ce and elevator has an o; these eight letters spell relevant.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which question is relevant to a lesson on rainforests?
a) Why do rainforests get so much rain?
b) What is your favourite cartoon?
c) How many goals did India score?
d) Which shop sells the best samosas?
Show answer
a) Why do rainforests get so much rain?
2. Relevance is the ____ form of relevant.
a) noun
b) verb
c) pronoun
d) adverb
Show answer
a) noun
