nugatory
UK[ˈnjuːɡətəri]US[ˈnuːɡətɔːri]
adj
of no real value; worthless or unimportant.
adj
having no force or effect; invalid.
Etymology
the word 'nugatory' entered english in the late 16th century, directly from the latin adjective 'nūgātōrius', meaning 'trifling' or 'futile'. this latin term is derived from 'nūgārī', a verb meaning 'to trifle' or 'to jest', which itself comes from 'nūgae', a plural noun signifying 'trifles' or 'jests'. the core semantic journey is from the concept of idle talk and frivolous jests to the modern abstract meanings of worthlessness and ineffectiveness. the word's path illustrates how a term for trivial speech evolved to describe anything lacking in substance, force, or value.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively formed from recognizable english morphemes and therefore cannot be meaningfully segmented based on its current spelling.
Examples
the court ruled the contract clause to be nugatory and unenforceable.
he dismissed their concerns as nugatory, not worthy of serious discussion.
the changes to the policy were so minor as to be practically nugatory.