extraneous

adjective

ex·​tra·​ne·​ous ek-ˈstrā-nē-əs How to pronounce extraneous (audio)
1
: existing on or coming from the outside
extraneous light
2
a
: not forming an essential or vital part
extraneous ornamentation
b
: having no relevance
an extraneous digression
3
: being a number obtained in solving an equation that is not a solution of the equation
extraneous roots
extraneously adverb
extraneousness noun

Did you know?

We’d hate to be extra, so we won’t weigh you down with a lot of extraneous information about the word extraneous. Instead, we’ll tell you that it has been a part of the English language since at least the mid-1600s, and that it comes from the Latin word extrāneus, which means “not belonging to one’s family or household; external.” Extrāneus—a combination of the Latin adverb/preposition extrā  (“outside” or “beyond”) and adjective suffix -āneus—is also the root of the English words strange and estrange; its influence is even more obvious in the Spanish adjective extraño, meaning “strange.” The “outside/beyond” senses of extrā are also evident in non-extraneous English words like extraterrestrial, which refers to a creature originating from “outside” planet Earth, and extrajudicial, which describes something “beyond” what is allowed by a court.

Choose the Right Synonym for extraneous

extrinsic, extraneous, foreign, alien mean external to a thing, its essential nature, or its original character.

extrinsic applies to what is distinctly outside the thing in question or is not contained in or derived from its essential nature.

sentimental value that is extrinsic to the house's market value

extraneous applies to what is on or comes from the outside and may or may not be capable of becoming an essential part.

arguments extraneous to the issue

foreign applies to what is so different as to be rejected or repelled or to be incapable of becoming assimilated.

techniques foreign to French cuisine

alien is stronger than foreign in suggesting opposition, repugnance, or irreconcilability.

a practice totally alien to her nature

Examples of extraneous in a Sentence

Obviously, some degree of packaging is necessary to transport and protect the products we need, but all too often manufacturers add extraneous wrappers over wrappers and layers of unnecessary plastic. Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006
Industry sages argue that lump charcoal is poised for a back-to-the-future resurgence. They say that a new generation of consumers—aware that most briquettes are shot through with all manner of extraneous materials, from fillers of pulverized limestone to binders of sugarcane bagasse and ignition catalysts of sodium nitrate—are willing to pay the two-buck-a-bag premium for true lump, which, compared to traditional briquettes, lights quicker, burns hotter, and throws off no chemical residue. John T. Edge, Gourmet, June 2003
The summer concert season is at hand, which means lots of warm nights wishing the guy in the row behind you would bogart that joint instead of blowing smoke into your hair, and lots of days spent wondering just how many extraneous … charges one ticket can possibly have added on. Entertainment Weekly, 18 May 2001
She sped up the process by eliminating all extraneous steps. the architect's streamlined modern style shuns any sort of extraneous ornamentation
Recent Examples on the Web Stapleton’s blues-rocking country songs are expertly constructed to achieve maximum emotional impact without a single extraneous lyric or gesture. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 The one element that feels borderline extraneous — though still quite entertaining — is a story related by a chirpy doctor (Anne Marie Ottersen). David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024 Are there extraneous costs like materials, equipment, flights, rentals or storage? Florence Chikezie, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The decision by Democrats to end the filibuster signaled that the minority party believes voters would reject the measure on its merits if the extraneous questions were removed. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2024 Second, as to the judiciary, the basis of our justice system is for judges to decide cases brought before them and to do so fairly and impartially, based on the facts and the law, free from extraneous influences. Jeffrey Rupp, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2024 The season is a tight six episodes, and no scene feels extraneous or too short. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Here, everything extraneous has been removed with its bridges and plates all merging in the center of the movement. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2024 When the switches are put back together, this film will remove empty space between the two halves of the switch, causing the fit to be tighter and, in turn, reducing extraneous noise. Henri Robbins, WIRED, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extraneous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin extrāneus "not belonging to one's family or household, coming from abroad, foreign, external" + -ous — more at strange entry 1

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of extraneous was in 1638

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Dictionary Entries Near extraneous

Cite this Entry

“Extraneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extraneous. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

extraneous

adjective
ex·​tra·​ne·​ous ek-ˈstrā-nē-əs How to pronounce extraneous (audio)
1
: not forming a necessary part
2
extraneously adverb
extraneousness noun

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