Webster's English Dictionary

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relevant

rel.e.vant \'rel-*-v*nt, substand 'rev-*-l*nt\ aj [ML relevant-, relevans, 
   fr. L, prp. of relevare to raise up]- more at RELIEVE 1a: bearing upon the 
   matter at hand : PERTINENT  1b: affording evidence tending to prove or 
   disprove the matters at issue o r under discussion {~ testimony} 2: 
   PROPORTIONAL, RELATIVE PPOSITE, APPLICABLE, APROPOS mean related to or 
   bearing upon the matter in hand. RELEVANT implies a traceable, significant, 
   logical connection; GERMANE may additionally imply a fitness for or 
   appropriateness to the situation or occasion; MATERIAL implies so close a 
   relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of 
   the case; PERTINENT stresses a clear and decisive relevance; APPOSITE 
   suggests a felicitous relevance; APPLICABLE suggests the fitness of 
   bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular in hand; 
   APROPOS suggests being both relevant and opportune - rel.e.vant.ly av SYN 
   syn RELEVANT, GERMANE, MATERIAL, PERTINENT, A