Cultural Watch

nugatory – Word of the Day

(DICTIONARY.COM)

Nugatory \ NOO-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, NYOO-\ adjective

DEFFINITIONS

1. Of no real value; trifling; worthless.
2. Of no force or effect; ineffective; futile; vain.

CITATION

Just at the moment, he was covering Art in a provincial paper for a financially nugatory consideration: a disadvantageous circumstance which he would explain as arising solely from his exceptional professional integrity.
— Michael Innes, Money from Holme, 1964

ORIGIN

Nugatory stems from the Latin nūgārī meaning “to trifle.” It entered English around 1600.

Source: nugatory – Word of the Day | Dictionary.com