different between frivolous vs inconsequential

English

Etymology

From Latin fr?volus (“silly, empty, trifling, frivolous, worthless”), with the ending modified to match -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f??v.?l.?s/
• Hyphenation: friv?o?lous

Adjective

frivolous (comparative more frivolous, superlative most frivolous)

1. Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner.
2. Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight.
3. (law, said of a lawsuit) Having no reasonable prospect of success because its claim is without merit, lacking a supporting legal or factual basis, while the filing party is, or should be, aware of this.
   • 2005, Factcheck.org^[1]:

     One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.

Derived terms

• frivolent
• frivolously
• frivolousness

Related terms

• frivol
• frivolity

Translations

Further reading

• frivolous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• frivolous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

in- +? consequential.

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?n?k?ns??kw?n??l/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n?k?n.s??kw?n.??l/

Adjective

inconsequential (comparative more inconsequential, superlative most inconsequential)

1. Having no consequence; not consequential; of little importance.

   You will never know the exact atomic time when you started reading this phrase; of course, that's inconsequential.

2. Not logically following from the premises.

Synonyms

• unimportant
• negligible
• trivial
• trifling
• See also Thesaurus:insignificant

Derived terms

• inconsequentiality
• inconsequentially
• inconsequentialness

Translations

Noun

inconsequential (plural inconsequentials)

1. Something unimportant; something that does not matter.