extraneous
UK: ɪkˈstreɪ.ni.əs | US: ɪkˈstreɪ.ni.əs
adj. not essential or pertinent to the matter at hand; irrelevant
adj. originating or coming from outside; foreign
extraneous = extra<outside> + neous<adjective suffix>
- extra (from Latin extra, meaning "outside, beyond")
- neous (Latin-derived suffix -aneus/-aneous, forming adjectives meaning "pertaining to")
Etymology Origin:
The word extraneous traces back to Latin extraneus, meaning "external" or "foreign," derived from extra ("outside"). It entered English in the 17th century, retaining its core sense of "not belonging" or "irrelevant." The suffix -aneous (via Latin -aneus) reinforces its adjectival form, akin to words like spontaneous or simultaneous. The logic is straightforward: extra (outside) + -aneous (pertaining to) = "pertaining to what is outside."
The report included extraneous details that distracted from the main argument.
His extraneous comments during the meeting were unhelpful.
The software filters out extraneous data to improve processing speed.
She avoided extraneous expenses to stay within her budget.
The teacher asked students to omit extraneous information from their essays.