moot
adj.adj. describing something that is not worth talking about because it has already been decided or is no longer important. You use this when a point has no practical effect on the current situation.
adj. subject to debate or uncertainty; having no practical relevance or significance to a current situation. Often follows a linking verb such as 'be' or 'become'.
The point is moot because the contract is already signed.
Whether we should have taken the train is now a moot point since we have already arrived by car.
The legal team argued that the defendant's previous testimony was moot, as the discovery of new physical evidence had rendered those specific verbal claims irrelevant to the final verdict.
From Middle English mōt, ȝemōt, from Old English mōt, ġemōt (“meeting”), from Proto-Germanic mōtą, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂d- (“to encounter, come”). Cognate with Scots mut, mote (“meeting, assembly”), Low German Mööt (“meeting”), Moot (“meeting”), archaic Dutch (ge)moet (“meeting”), Danish møde (“meeting”), Swedish möte (“meeting”), Norwegian møte (“meeting”), Icelandic mót (“meeting, tournament, meet”). Related to meet. The adjective derives from the noun.
From Middle English moten (“to speak, talk, converse, discuss”), from Old English mōtian (“to speak, converse, discuss”), from Proto-Germanic mōtijaną (“to meet, encounter”), a suffixed derivative of mōtą (“meeting”). Related to etymology 1. See also mutter (which is a frequentative of moot).
Unknown.
From Dutch moot (“piece”).
Clipping of mutual with humorously altered pronunciation.
Commonly used in the fixed expression 'moot point'. In US English, it usually means 'irrelevant', while in UK English, it can still mean 'open to debate'.
a mute pointa moot pointLearners often confuse 'moot' with 'mute' (silent) because they sound similar, but 'mute' is incorrect in this context.