Germane

Post date: Aug 30, 2015 12:49:41 PM

[jer-meyn]

adjective

1. closely or significantly related; relevant; pertinent:

Please keep your statements germane to the issue.

Word Origin and History for germane

mid-14c., "having the same parents," derived from german (adj.); cf.human/humane, urban/urbane. Main modern sense of "closely connected,relevant" (c.1600) derives from use in "Hamlet" Act V, Scene ii: "Thephrase would bee more Germaine to the matter: If we could carry Cannonby our sides," which is a figurative use of the word in the now-obsoletesense of "closely related, akin" (late 15c.) in reference to things, notpersons.