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I was having a discussion with someone who always brings up "Jumping the shark" whenever we discuss TV programs that have run, or are in danger of running too long.

When I asked them about this they said "Well, it a very good example of something that is very relevant to my point"

And I said "There should be a word for that". What's that word?

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    Welcome to the site! I'm afraid I don't really understand your example about the shark. But how about the word salient, which means "poignant and relevant"? Felicitously, it also includes a connotation of "jumping", for it is derived of Latin saliens "jumping", from salire "to jump".
    – Cerberus - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Aug 11, 2018 at 23:16
  • I would agree with the self-censoring author: the word is "apt."
    – Ricky
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 2:40
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    The usual meaning of the word "poignant" is something like (quoting the online OED) "arousing or expressing deep emotion, esp. of sorrow or regret." I think you are using the word to mean something else, but I'm not sure exactly what. Or maybe "poignant" was a spellcheck error and you meant to type some other word?
    – bof
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 3:48
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    I would advise you to look at the "synonym discussion of apposite" on Merriam-Webster. (merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apposite)
    – user305707
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 5:03
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    @bof I suspect they were shooting for 'pertinent'.
    – Spagirl
    Commented Aug 13, 2018 at 10:36

2 Answers 2

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These are the few potential words:

Apposite (adjective)

NOTE: this word looks very similar to opposite.

OED describes it as:

Apt in the circumstances or in relation to something.

"It is an apposite example, without being the most obvious."

Merriam Webster describes it as:

highly pertinent or appropriate : apt

apposite remarks or apposite examples

Germane (adjective):

Merriam Webster describes it as:

being at once relevant and appropriate: fitting

"omit details that are not germane to the"**

OED describes it as: describes it as:

Relevant to a subject under consideration.

that is germane point to our discussion

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  • Thanks to all contributors, I think given my specific needs, a one-word probably wouldn't do the conversation justice. Whilst apropos is nice to say, there seems to be an element of "aptness" about it. Instead, i'll opt for "There's your go-to germane discussion point again". Thanks all.
    – user67734
    Commented Aug 14, 2018 at 18:28
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Used as an adjective the word apropos would fit.

adjective 1 1. 
>very appropriate to a particular situation."the composer's reference to child's play is apropos" 2 synonyms: 3 appropriate, pertinent, relevant, >apposite, apt, applicable, suitable, germane, fitting, befitting, material; right on "the word “conglomerate” was decidedly apropos" 





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