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extraneous

adjective

/ɪkˈstreɪnɪəs/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of extraneous

Not essential or relevant to a particular situation or topic.
"The extraneous details in the novel slowed down the pace of the story."

Detailed meaning of extraneous

It can refer to information, details, or elements that are superfluous or unnecessary. For example, in a scientific experiment, an extraneous variable is a factor that is not being intentionally manipulated but may still affect the results. In writing, extraneous words or phrases are those that do not contribute to the clarity or effectiveness of the message. The term extraneous implies that something is not needed or relevant, and therefore should be removed or disregarded in order to focus on what is important.

Example sentences containing extraneous

1. The speaker's extraneous comments during the presentation made it difficult to follow the main points.
2. The teacher asked the students to eliminate any extraneous information from their research papers.
3. The accountant found several extraneous expenses in the company's budget that could be eliminated.
4. The athlete's extraneous movements caused her to lose balance and fall during the competition.
5. The designer decided to remove the extraneous decorations from the dress to give it a cleaner look.
6. The doctor warned the patient about the extraneous risks associated with the surgery.

History and etymology of extraneous

The adjective 'extraneous' has its roots in Latin. It can be traced back to the combination of two Latin words: 'ex,' meaning 'outside' or 'beyond,' and 'traneus,' which means 'belonging to a household' or 'domestic.' The term 'extraneus' in Latin referred to something or someone from outside one's household or immediate sphere. Over time, this evolved into 'extraneous' in English, describing elements or factors that are external to the core or primary focus of a situation or topic. Thus, when we delve into the etymology of 'extraneous,' we uncover its essence as something foreign or unrelated, not essential to the matter at hand.

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Further usage examples of extraneous

1. The detective sifted through the extraneous clues to find the key piece of evidence.
2. The musician removed the extraneous notes from the composition to make it more concise.
3. The engineer identified an extraneous signal that was interfering with the experiment results.
4. The editor suggested cutting the extraneous scenes from the movie to improve the pacing.
5. The team manager reminded the players to focus on the essential strategies and eliminate any extraneous distractions.
6. Please remove any extraneous items from the list to keep it concise and relevant.
7. His lengthy comments, while well-intentioned, were deemed extraneous to the main discussion.
8. In order to stay productive, it's important to focus on the task at hand and ignore extraneous details.
9. The constant background noise in the office was distracting and extraneous to the employees' work.
10. In academic writing, it's essential to eliminate extraneous information that doesn't directly support your thesis.
11. The meeting became unproductive due to the excessive number of extraneous discussions that deviated from the agenda.
12. To have a productive discussion, it's crucial to stay on topic and avoid extraneous chatter.
13. His input, while valuable in other contexts, was seen as extraneous to the current project.
14. Data analysis becomes more efficient when you filter out extraneous data points and focus on the relevant ones.
15. She carefully omitted extraneous details from her presentation to keep it clear and concise.
16. When writing a report, it's important to keep it concise and remove extraneous content that doesn't contribute to the main message.
17. During the debate, it's crucial not to get sidetracked by extraneous issues that are not directly related to the topic.
18. The presentation was cluttered with extraneous slides that didn't add value to the audience's understanding of the topic.
19. To make your argument clear and compelling, stick to the main points and discard extraneous facts.
20. When writing an essay, it's essential to avoid extraneous arguments that don't support your thesis.
21. Some viewers felt that the subplot was extraneous to the main storyline and didn't add depth to the narrative.
22. When reviewing the legal document, pay close attention to extraneous clauses that may have unintended consequences.
23. The extraneous noise from the nearby construction site disrupted the lecturer's attempt to maintain a quiet classroom.
24. While her objections were well-intentioned, they were viewed as extraneous to the current discussion.
25. The focus group worked diligently to eliminate extraneous options and narrow down their choices to the most viable ones.