non sequitur

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A student's non sequitur in class made everyone pause.

Definition

Noun:
- (Logic) A conclusion that does not follow from the premises: In formal logic and argumentation, a non sequitur is a statement or conclusion that is not logically connected to or justified by the previous argument or evidence.
- A reply that has no relevance to what preceded it: In everyday conversation, a non sequitur is a response or remark that seems random and is unrelated to the topic being discussed.

Usage Examples

Noun (Logical Fallacy):
- His argument was full of non sequiturs, making it impossible to follow his reasoning.
- The politician's claim about economic growth was a complete non sequitur given the data he presented.
Noun (Irrelevant Remark):
- During the meeting about budgets, her comment about the weather was a total non sequitur.
- "I like turtles," he said, which was a puzzling non sequitur in the middle of our serious discussion.

Advanced Usage

As a rhetorical device: While typically a flaw in logic, a deliberate can sometimes be used for comedic or absurdist effect in writing or conversation.
- The comedian's routine relied on a series of hilarious non sequiturs that kept the audience laughing.

Variants and Related Words

Non sequitur is a Latin phrase adopted directly into English. It is typically used as a noun. The plural form is non sequiturs.
Illogical (adj): Lacking sense or sound reasoning.
- His conclusion was illogical.
Fallacy (n): A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument.
- The argument was based on a common logical fallacy.

Synonyms

Related Idioms and Phrases

To go off on a tangent: To suddenly start talking about a different subject. (This describes the action, while a is the resulting irrelevant statement.)
- He went off on a tangent about his vacation.
Out of left field: Coming as a complete surprise and seeming unrelated.
- That question came out of left field.

A student's non sequitur in class made everyone pause.

Noun