# pertinent

/ˈpɝtɪnɪnt/ (US) · /pˈɜːtɪnənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pertinent
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. relevant

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

directly related to the subject you are talking about or considering.

For teachers: relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite. Often used in professional or academic contexts to describe evidence or questions.

- The lawyer asked several pertinent questions about where the witness was that night.
- The researcher struggled to find pertinent data that specifically addressed the long-term environmental impact of the new chemical plant.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'to'.

### 2. legal right to land

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Dialect

a legal term for a right or a piece of land that belongs to a larger property.

For teachers: a right or adjunct that attaches to a primary piece of land. This is a specific technical term within the Scottish legal system.

- The sale of the farm included the house, the fields, and all other pertinents.
- The deed clearly outlined the principal lands along with the pertinents, ensuring no ambiguity regarding the grazing rights on the adjacent hill.

Usage: Primarily used in the plural form 'pertinents'.

Teaching tip: This sense is restricted to Scots law; general learners should focus on the adjective sense meaning 'relevant'.

## Examples

- The lawyer asked several pertinent questions during the trial.
- Please include only the most pertinent details in your report to keep it brief and effective.
- The judge ruled that the witness's previous criminal record was not pertinent to the current case and should therefore be disregarded by the jury.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.