Phrase guide

non sequitur

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌnɒn ˈsɛk.wɪ.tə/
  • General-American, dialectal: /ˌnɑn ˈsɛk.wɪ.tɚ/ of Canada
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, dialectal: /ˌnɒn ˈsɛk.wɪ.tɚ/ of the US
  • Australian: /ˌnɔn ˈsek.wɪ.tə/
  • Queensland Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, narratology, sciences

Examples

  • Having a costumed superhero abduct the vicar was an utter non sequitur in the novel.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any invalid argument in which the conclusion cannot be logically deduced from the premises.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fallacy

Antonyms: sequitur

3

noun

Meaning 3

A statement that does not logically follow a statement that preceded it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A kind of pun that uses a change of word, subject, or meaning to make a joke of the listener’s expectation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: comedy, entertainment, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

(logic) a conclusion that does not follow from the premises

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: conclusion

6

noun

Meaning 6

a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reply, response

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nōn sequitur (literally “it does not follow”).

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: selittämätön siirtymä — any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence
  • Finnish: non sequitur — any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence
  • German: Gedankensprung — any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence
  • Greek: ανακολουθία (anakolouthía) — any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence
  • Polish: coś bez związku — any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推不出 (tuībùchū) — invalid argument
  • Dutch: non sequitur — invalid argument
  • Dutch: onterechte conclusie — invalid argument
  • Finnish: väärä johtopäätös — invalid argument
  • Finnish: non sequitur — invalid argument
  • Finnish: ei seuraa — invalid argument
  • French: non sequitur — invalid argument
  • German: unlogisches Argument — invalid argument
  • German: Nonsens — invalid argument
  • German: Fehlschluss — invalid argument
  • German: non sequitur — invalid argument
  • Greek: ανακολουθία (anakolouthía) — invalid argument
  • Polish: non sequitur — invalid argument
  • Polish: błąd wnioskowania — invalid argument
  • Russian: нелогичное заключение (nelogičnoje zaključenije) — invalid argument
  • Spanish: incongruencia — invalid argument
  • Spanish: non sequitur (non sékuitur) — invalid argument
  • Finnish: väärä johtopäätös — statement that does not logically follow a statement that came before it
  • German: Fehlschluss — statement that does not logically follow a statement that came before it
  • German: non sequitur — statement that does not logically follow a statement that came before it
  • German: falsche Folgerung — statement that does not logically follow a statement that came before it
  • Polish: stwierdzenie bez związku — statement that does not logically follow a statement that came before it
  • Finnish: non sequitur -sanaleikki — kind of pun
  • Polish: żart polegający na założeniu słuchacza — kind of pun