non sequitur

noun

non se·​qui·​tur ˌnän-ˈse-kwə-tər 

 also  -ˌtu̇r

1

: an inference (see inference sense 1) that does not follow from the premises (see premise entry 1 sense 1)

specifically : a fallacy resulting from a simple conversion of a universal affirmative (see affirmative entry 1 sense 3) proposition or from the transposition of a condition and its consequent (see consequent entry 1 sense 1)

2

: a statement (such as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said

We were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.

Did you know?

In Latin, non sequitur means "it does not follow." The phrase was borrowed into English in the 1500s by people who made a formal study of logic. For them, it meant a conclusion that does not follow from the statements that lead to it. But we now use non sequitur for any kind of statement that seems to come out of the blue.

Examples of non sequitur in a Sentence

We were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even if true, this is a non sequitur, since there’s nothing to suggest the handling ... —Rich Lowry, National Review, 24 Dec. 2024

Economists were trafficking in non sequitur while at the same time glossing over the fact that work divided looms largest on prices. —John Tamny, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

The ad ends with a total non sequitur: Trump hugging an elderly Black woman. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

Ultimately, the call for an update of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act amounts to a big non sequitur in search of a fix. —John Tamny, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, it does not follow

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1