excrescent
Americanadjective
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growing abnormally out of something else; superfluous.
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Phonetics. (of a speech sound) inserted or added as a result of articulatory interaction or impetus, as the t- sound in sense (sents) or against (from Middle Englishageynes ), without grammatical or historical justification; intrusive; parasitic.
adjective
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denoting, relating to, or resembling an abnormal outgrowth
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uselessly added; not essential; superfluous
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denoting or relating to a speech sound or letter inserted into a word without etymological justification, such as the b in nimble
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of excrescent
1600–10; < Latin excrēscent- (stem of excrēscēns ), present participle of excrēscere to grow out. See ex- 1, crescent
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Sco. word has developed an excrescent d after l.
From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias
The echinopses were mere excrescent red-haired growths that made one think of huge insects rolled into balls.
From Abbe Mouret's Transgression by Zola, Émile
An excrescent r appears in a number of words, so in dynnart, a variant of the word above, Dunbar, T.M.W.
From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias
Other chapels, less distinguished, which have been added from time to time, line the nave both north and south, and all are excrescent to the original plan.
From Cathedrals and Cloisters of the South of France, Volume 1 by Rose, Elise Whitlock
Could I prune away certain excrescent minor Whistlers? those bits of ivory cutting from old Italy and Japan? those tarnished Tuscan panels?—in truth, I could and would not.
From The Collectors by Mather, Frank Jewett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
