Word of the Day - 09/25/26
tangential
/tæn'dʒɛnʃəl/(adj.): of superficial relevance if any
His comments about the weather were tangential to the main discussion about budget cuts.
(adj.): of or relating to or in the direction of a tangent
The force applied to the grinding wheel was tangential, causing it to spin.
Word Origin
The word 'tangential' originates from the Latin word 'tangere', meaning 'to touch'. The root 'tangens' is the present participle of 'tangere'. The English word 'tangent' came directly from this Latin root, referring to a line that touches a curve at a single point without crossing it. The suffix '-ial' is an adjective-forming suffix, turning 'tangent' into 'tangential', meaning 'relating to or moving in the direction of a tangent' or, metaphorically, 'diverging from a previous line or course; only slightly connected'.
Words with a similar origin, all stemming from the Latin 'tangere' ('to touch'), include 'tangent' itself, 'touch', 'contact' (from Latin 'contactus', past participle of 'contingere', formed from 'com-' meaning 'together' + 'tangere'), 'intact' (from Latin 'intactus', from 'in-' meaning 'not' + 'tactus', past participle of 'tangere'), 'tactile' (from Latin 'tactilis', from 'tangere'), 'contingent' (from Latin 'contingentem', present participle of 'contingere'), and 'contagion' (from Latin 'contagionem', from 'contingere').