What is a Moot Point?

• A moot point is a fact that doesn’t matter because it’s not relevant to the current situation.
• There is no such phrase as mute point; it’s an error.
• Moot rhymes with boot.

In a conversation, do you like to make your point? If so, there’s an expression you need to know—moot point. But before we get to the definition, let’s clear up some confusion about what a moot point is not.

Moot Point vs. Mute Point

Moot means unimportant or not worth talking about. Mute means completely silent. Moot and mute might seem like similar words at first glance, but they are pronounced differently. Mute rhymes with cute, whereas moot rhymes with boot. Nevertheless, some people still mishear the phrase moot point as mute point. But don’t let that confuse you. The correct phrase is moot point, not mute point. That brings us back to the question at hand: What is a moot point?

Moot Point: Definition

A moot point is a fact that does not apply to the current situation. The fact may not apply for any number of reasons. For instance, the information could be doubtful, no longer current, or of no practical value. Moot point might also refer to a question that doesn’t matter very much because it’s unlikely that anyone will ever be able to answer it. Let’s look at some quotes to see how this expression can be put to use. In the first quote, the baby isn’t yet talking, so what Bay Staters call their parents is irrelevant. In the second quote, a coach tries to warn his team about a good opposing player, presumably so that they can adjust their strategy, but the information was of no practical value because the team couldn’t mount any offense at all against him.

“I don’t know what folks in Massachusetts call their daddies.”
“So far, we haven’t even gotten a da-da out of her so it’s still a moot point.”

Toni L.P. Kelner, Mad as The Dickens

Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz tried to warn everyone. . . how dangerous Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes is. It was a moot point. Louisiana Tech had no answer for the junior gunslinger, as he threw for 470 yards and five scores to lead Texas Tech to a 59-45 win.

The News Star

What is a moot point? What about a mute point? You have the answers to these questions. Now if someone asks you what a moot point is, you won’t make one when you answer!

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