# Trouble with the word "moot" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953 "2013-09-16T06:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/21 "2013-09-16T20:16:31Z")
I don’t think in US usage it is that the question has been decided. It is that some decision or event has happened that make deciding the question irrelevant. So when the defendant drops dead during trial, his guilt becomes moot. Deciding on his guilt is pointless, and the case is dropped not because we have decided on his guilt, but because there is no reason to decide on his guilt. A decision can render things moot. “After the PMs decided to cut the social features, account testing became moot.” But we haven’t decided on the results of account testing, whether the account features work or don’t work, we won’t even do account testing because there is no purpose to it anymore. If we did account testing and found that the feature couldn’t be released because of major bugs and so the feature was cut, then the testing wasn’t moot. It’s only moot if the results of the testing are unimportant, whether we did them or not or whether the feature passed the test or not is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/22 "2013-09-16T20:59:30Z")
So, lack of water in the pool can render the swimming meet moot? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/23 "2013-09-16T21:25:18Z")
Hypothetical headline about a politician who wants to cancel the certification for a swim contest for talking-disabled people in Australia: Matt Might Make Mute Meet Moot, Mate. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/24 "2013-09-16T21:36:36Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > FWIW, my sense is that the term means something like, “Now irrelevant, given some development”. > > “After Larry Summers withdrew his candidacy, the question about whether he would be a better Fed Chair than Janet Yellen became moot.” Right… this isn’t the dictionary definition, but this is far and away its most common use (at least in the US today and for as long as I can remember). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/25 "2013-09-16T21:45:37Z")
> [@johnspartan](#): > > Right… this isn’t the dictionary definition, but this is far and away its most common use (at least in the US today and for as long as I can remember). No, that is one of the dictionary definitions: > [@](#): > > 1. Of little or no practical value or meaning; purely academic. The question of if Larry Summers would make a good Fed chairman is of little or no practical value or meaning and is purely academic, because he has withdrawn from consideration. We could debate it, but it would be of no practical value because he’s not going to be Fed Chairman. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/26 "2013-09-16T22:11:31Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > 1. Of little or no practical value or meaning; purely academic. That’s close, but not the same thing as how it’s commonly used. There was a discussion on here for a while about “How far could Superman hit a baseball?” This is basically an academic discussion with little practical value. But it isn’t likely to be referred to as moot. Moot as _rendered obsolete or irrelevant by a recent occurrence_ is a particular set of circumstances. How would Tyson in his prime have fared against Ali in his prime \<— academic, but generally not referred to as moot. “We spent a week debating whether we could afford tickets to the Mike Tyson fight, but now that whole discussion has been rendered moot because he’s been arrested and the fight’s been canceled” \<— not academic discussion, made pointless by events. ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/27 "2013-09-17T00:09:27Z")
Here it seems to mean “pondering” or “proposing” .I’m not sure. > **[Draft moots cut in homework|China|chinadaily.com.cn](http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-08/23/content_16916712.htm)** > > Many students dream of having no more homework, and it seems that for some this dream may come true. Draft moots cut in homework …A draft guidelines document released by the Ministry of Education suggests homework may become a thing of the past for younger students. However, this and other suggestions on alleviating academic burdens have stirred up a debate among experts and teachers. Also. Take a look at this article. > **[Are You Sure You Mean "Moot"? - DAILY WRITING TIPS](https://www.dailywritingtips.com/are-you-sure-you-mean-moot/)** > > I just caught myself writing "the question is moot" meaning "the question is irrelevant or closed." I immediately scrapped "moot" for a different adjective. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/28 "2013-09-17T03:13:38Z")
> [@davidmich](#): > > Here it seems to mean “pondering” or “proposing” .I’m not sure. > > [Draft moots cut in homework|China|chinadaily.com.cn](http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-08/23/content_16916712.htm) > > Draft moots cut in homework > …A draft guidelines document released by the Ministry of Education suggests homework may become a thing of the past for younger students. However, this and other suggestions on alleviating academic burdens have stirred up a debate among experts and teachers. Wouldn’t that come within meaning #4 in your OP? > [@](#): > > 1. to present or introduce (any point, subject, project, etc.) for discussion. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953/29 "2013-09-17T11:54:14Z")
I was taught it meant Irrelevant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trouble-with-the-word-moot/668953.md?page=1)