No longer relevant

Question

Is there a word in English that means "no longer relevant"? The context is a reserve that a company has set aside against the possibility of something happening in the future. That event hasn't taken place and no longer can so the reserve is no longer relevant it's . I don't want to use "irrelevant" because that could imply that the reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.

Bob
http://www.kanyak.com

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Is there a word in English that means "no longer relevant"? The context is a reserve that a company has ... want to use "irrelevant" because that could imply that the reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
"redundant"
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861700123/redundant.html

adjective
1. superfluous: not or no longer needed or wanted

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Is there a word in English that means "no longer ... reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
[nq:1]"redundant" 1. superfluous: not or no longer needed or wanted[/nq]
Thank you (he says as he slaps self upside the head).

That's the word I was trying to think of and it kept fleeting from my grasp.

Bob
http://www.kanyak.com

Usenet · Answer

Reading from
[nq:2]Is there a word in English that means "no longer ... reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
[nq:1]"redundant" http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861700123/redundant.html adjective 1. superfluous: not or no longer needed or wanted[/nq]
Sadly, superfluous is not even listed as a "near antonym" in my desk thesaurus, even though it obviously is. "Extraneous" is in there, though.

Supernumerary. There's one I don't see everyday.
otiose
nonessential
)
Damaeus

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is there a word in English that means "no longer relevant"? The context is a reserve that a company has ... want to use "irrelevant" because that could imply that the reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
to obviate (third-person singular simple present obviates, present participle obviating, simple past and past participle obviated)
1. (transitive) To bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary.

* They saved enough money for their purchase and
obviated the need to borrow.

John Varela
Trade NEWlamps for OLDlamps for email

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]the reserve is no longer relevant it's .[/nq]
Obsolete.
¬R

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Is there a word in English that means "no longer relevant"? The context is a reserve that a company has ... want to use "irrelevant" because that could imply that the reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
I'm surprised no one has suggested moot.
You may have to rephrase a little, the advantage of the reserve is moot.
But unlike all the other suggestions** except one or two, moot implies that it once mattered and now doesn't. Obsolete and obviate would require rephrasing too.
**Including redundant, which you seemed very happy with.

You're probalby so happy you're not reading anymore. So I've attempted to email too.

Posters should say where they live, and for which
area they are asking questions. I have lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 10 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Is there a word in English that means "no longer ... reserve was never relevant, which is not the case here.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm surprised no one has suggested moot. You may have to rephrase a little, the advantage of the reserve is ... seemed very happy with.

You're probalby so happy you're not reading anymore. So I've attempted to email too.[/nq]
"Moot" wouldn't work in BrE. "The advantage of the reserve is moot" would mean "We could argue about what advantage the reserve might still have".

Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm surprised no one has suggested moot. You may have ... you're not reading anymore. So I've attempted to email too.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Moot" wouldn't work in BrE. "The advantage of the reserve is moot" would mean "We could argue about what advantage the reserve might still have". Alan Jones[/nq]
Indeed.
OED:
moot, adj.
1. Originally in Law, of a case, issue, etc.: proposed fordiscussion at a moot (MOOT n.1 4). Later also gen.: open to argument, debatable; uncertain, doubtful; unable to be firmly resolved. Freq. in moot case, moot point.
moot, n.1
1. a. A meeting, an assembly of people, esp. one for judicial orlegislative purposes. Also: a place where a meeting is held. ..

4. Law. The discussion of a hypothetical case by law students forpractice; a hypothetical doubtful case that may be used for discussion.
Back to moot, adj.
2. N. Amer. (orig. Law). Of a case, issue, etc.: having no practicalsignificance or relevance; abstract, academic.
Now the usual sense in North America.
1807 Rep. U.S. Circuit Court: District Virginia (Lexis) 25 126 If astatute of the United States were to adopt a common law phrase, in the creation of an offence, no common law consequences would follow, because we have no common law. But this is a moot point ..
The verb "meet" is from:
a Germanic weak verb derived from the base of MOOT n.1

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]"Moot" wouldn't work in BrE. "The advantage of the reserve is moot" would mean "We could argue about what advantage the reserve might still have".[/nq]
Of course the OP didn't bother to say where he was. I wish they would do that.
More below.
[nq:2]Alan Jones[/nq]
[nq:1]Indeed. OED: moot, adj. 1. Originally in Law, of a case, issue, etc.: proposed for discussion at a moot (MOOT ... do. For example a motion to dismiss for reason A is moot once the case is dismissed for reason B.[/nq]
Maybe I was wrong when I included that it once mattered, that it once had significance, as part of its meaning, but I think we would have to do a survey now to know. Certainly its meaning is broader now than the 1807 example above.
In addition I think I've seen it used quite a bit in the last few years to refer to not just to cases and issues but more broadly, including things like advantages. I often dislike meaning expansion, but in this case, I don't know of another word that means all that I think moot means in the US these days, so I'm not opposed.
[nq:1]The verb "meet" is from: a Germanic weak verb derived from the base of MOOT n.1[/nq]
Posters should say where they live, and for which
area they are asking questions. I have lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 10 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Back to moot, adj. 2. N. Amer. (orig. Law). Of a case, issue, etc.: having no practical significance or relevance; abstract, academic. Now the usual sense in North America.[/nq]
When it's used with this meaning I seem to hear it spoken by Americans as "mute" i.e. /mjut/, if my ASCII-IPA serves me more and more often these days. Perhaps originating from conflation with some expression like "the evidence is mute (concerning a particular question)"?

Odysseus

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