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tangential

[ tan-jen-shuhl ]
/ tænˈdʒɛn ʃəl /
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See synonyms for tangential on Thesaurus.com
adjective
pertaining to or of the nature of a tangent; being or moving in the direction of a tangent.
merely touching; slightly connected: tangential information.
divergent or digressive, as from a subject under consideration: tangential remarks.
tending to digress or to reply to questions obliquely.
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Rarely tan·gen·tal [tan-jen-tl]. /tænˈdʒɛn tl/.

Origin of tangential

First recorded in 1620–30; tangent + -ial

OTHER WORDS FROM tangential

tan·gen·ti·al·i·ty [tan-jen-tee-al-i-tee], /tænˌdʒɛn tiˈæl ɪ ti/, nountan·gen·tial·ly, adverbnon·tan·gen·tial, adjectiveun·tan·gen·tial, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to tangential

extraneous, unrelated, digressive, divergent, diverging

How to use tangential in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tangential

tangential
/ (tænˈdʒɛnʃəl) /
adjective
of, being, relating to, or in the direction of a tangent
Also: transverse astronomy (of velocity) in a direction perpendicular to the line of sight of a celestial objectCompare radial (def. 6)
of superficial relevance only; digressive

Derived forms of tangential

tangentiality, nountangentially or tangentally, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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