divagate
UK: ˈdaɪ.və.ɡeɪt | US: ˈdaɪ.və.ɡeɪt
vi. 1. To wander or stray from a set course or topic.
vi. 2. To digress in speech or writing.
divagate = di<apart> + vag<wander> + ate<verb suffix>
- di- (Latin dis-): Prefix meaning "apart" or "away."
- vag (Latin vagari): Root meaning "to wander."
- -ate: Verb-forming suffix indicating action.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin divagari ("to wander about"), combining dis- (apart) and vagari (to roam). The word entered English in the 16th century, retaining its literal sense of physical wandering but later extending to metaphorical digressions in thought or speech. The root vag- also appears in vagabond and vague, reinforcing the idea of aimless movement.
The lecturer tended to divagate, losing his audience in tangents.
Her mind would divagate during long walks, exploring unrelated ideas.
The river divagates through the valley, creating ever-changing paths.
Avoid divagating from the main argument in your essay.
His memoirs divagate into nostalgic recollections of childhood.