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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

extraneous

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster

Arts, Literature, Language Courses, Education

4.31.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 October 2023

⏱️ 2 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 25, 2023 is:

extraneous • \ek-STRAY-nee-us\  • adjective

Something described as extraneous does not form a necessary part of something else, and may also therefore be considered irrelevant or unimportant (as in “extraneous details”).

// The woman who reported the robbery kept bringing up extraneous facts, such as what she'd had for lunch.

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Examples:

“Free of frippery and extraneous decorative details, the roughly 4,500-square-foot loft is a pure expression of the bold geometries, expert craftsmanship, and premium materials for which Gwathmey is renowned.” — Mark David, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2023

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.



Transcript

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0:00.0

It's Merriam Webster's Word of the Day for October 25th.

0:11.3

Today's word is extraneous, spelled E-X-T-R-A-N-E-O-U-S.

0:19.2

Extraneous is an adjective.

0:21.2

Something described as extraneous does not form a necessary part of something else, and

0:27.0

it may also therefore be considered irrelevant or unimportant, as in extraneous details.

0:32.8

Here's the word used in a sentence from the Rob Report by Mark David.

0:38.9

Free of fripory and extraneous decorative details, the roughly 4,500 square foot loft is

0:45.9

a pure expression of the bold geometries, expert craftsmanship, and premium materials for

0:53.2

which guathme is renowned.

0:56.6

We'd hate to be extra, so we won't weigh you down with a lot of extraneous information

1:01.7

about the word extraneous.

1:04.1

Instead we'll tell you that it has been a part of the English language since at least

1:08.6

the mid-1600s, and that it comes from the Latin word extra-neus, which means not belonging

1:15.5

to one's family or household, external.

1:19.4

Extra-neus, a combination of the Latin adverb and preposition extra, meaning outside or

1:24.7

beyond, and the adjective suffix and use, is also the root of the English words strange

1:31.3

and estranged.

1:33.1

Its influence is even more obvious in the Spanish adjective extra-neil, meaning strange.

1:39.8

The outside, beyond senses of extra, are also evident in non-extraneous English words

1:46.4

like extra-terrestrial, which refers to a creature originating from outside planet Earth, and

1:53.4

extra judicial, which describes something beyond what is allowed by a court.

1:58.8

With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sarkalowski.

...

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