English edit

Etymology edit

From inapposite +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

inappositeness (uncountable)

  1. The state or quality of not being apposite.
    • 1898, George William Erskine Russell, Collections and Recollections[1]:
      And certainly an apt quotation is one of the most effective decorations of a public speech; but the dangers of inappositeness are correspondingly formidable.
    • 1908, Charles Whibley, American Sketches[2]:
      To men and women excited by the details of the last murder they discourse of the existence of God in short, crisp sentences,--and I know not which is worse, the triviality of the discourse or its inappositeness.
    • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 718:
      ‘And then, your uncle made an inaugural speech at his first press conference which was of fantastic inappositeness.’