extraneous Definition
- 1irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with
- 2of external origin; not belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing
- 3coming from the outside
Using extraneous: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "extraneous" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The teacher asked the students to avoid extraneous information in their essays.
Example
The extraneous noise from the construction site made it difficult to concentrate.
Example
The extraneous details in the report distracted from the main findings.
extraneous Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for extraneous
Phrases with extraneous
a variable that is not of interest in a particular study but can affect the outcome
Example
The researchers controlled for extraneous variables in their experiment.
a solution that does not satisfy the original equation but satisfies an intermediate equation introduced during the solution process
Example
The equation had an extraneous solution that needed to be eliminated.
an agent that is not normally present in a biological system and can cause harm
Example
The vaccine was tested for the presence of extraneous agents before being approved for use.
Origins of extraneous
from Latin 'extraneus', meaning 'external'
Summary: extraneous in Brief
'Extraneous' [ɪkˈstreɪniəs] means irrelevant or unrelated to the subject, or not belonging to the essential nature of a thing. It can refer to external factors, such as noise or details, that distract from the main point. 'Extraneous' is used in phrases like 'extraneous variable,' which refers to a variable that can affect the outcome of a study, and 'extraneous solution,' which is a solution that does not satisfy the original equation.
