adjective
- of no essential consequence; unimportant.
- not pertinent; irrelevant.
- not material; incorporeal; spiritual.
adjective
- of no real importance; inconsequential
- not formed of matter; incorporeal; spiritual
late 14c., “spiritual, incorporeal,” from Medieval Latin immaterialis “not consisting of matter, spiritual,” from assimilated form of in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + Late Latin materialis (see material). Secondary sense of “unimportant” is first recorded 1690s from material in its 16c. sense of “important.” Related: Immaterially.