Germane
[jer-MAIN]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 17th century
1.
Relevant to a subject under consideration.
Examples of Germane in a sentence
"Discussing the author’s childhood was germane to the lecture on his influences. "
"You can find germane sources listed in the appendix to the book. "
About Germane
Germane, previously spelled "germain," was synonymous with the adjective "german" (lowercase) in Middle English. Both words come from the Latin word "germanus," meaning "genuine," or "of the same parents."
Did you Know?
The modern definition of "germane" — relevant to a given subject — first appears in Shakespeare's "Hamlet": "The phrase would bee more Germaine to the matter: If we could carry Cannon by our sides." Prior to about 1600, the adjective "germaine/german" was applied to people having the same parents. Following Shakespeare's usage, it became more loosely applied to anything connected.
