insignificance
UK[ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns]US[ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns]
n
the quality of being too small or unimportant to be worth consideration.
n
the state of having no meaning or purpose.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
significance
in
not
significance
importance, meaning
Etymology
the word insignificance is a direct negation formed within english by applying the latin-derived negative prefix 'in-' to the noun 'significance'. the root traces back to the latin verb 'significare', meaning 'to make a sign, to indicate', itself composed of 'signum' (sign, mark) and the combining form of 'facere' (to make). thus, the literal sense of 'significance' is 'that which is made as a sign', i.e., meaning or importance. by adding the prefix 'in-', the word logically constructs the concept of 'the state of not having meaning or importance'. this pattern of forming abstract nouns denoting a quality or state via negation is a common and productive process in english word formation.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + significance (importance, meaning)
in- (latin origin, a prefix meaning 'not'); significance (from latin 'significare', meaning 'to signify, to mean', acting as the core noun).
Examples
the sheer scale of the universe can make our daily worries seem like utter insignificance.
he felt a profound sense of insignificance standing before the ancient monument.
the error was of such insignificance that it did not affect the final result.