- Today's Word
Tangential
tan-JEN-shul
Definition
- (adjective) Only loosely or indirectly related to the main subject.
- Touching but not intersecting, as in geometry.
Example
His speech was supposed to be about climate change, but he kept making tangential remarks about his vacation.
Fun Fact
“Tangential” comes from the mathematical concept of a tangent—a line that touches a curve but doesn’t cross it. This idea transferred into everyday language to describe conversations or thoughts that briefly “touch” the main topic but then veer off in a different direction. If you’ve ever had a conversation that started about weekend plans and ended up on childhood memories of ice cream, you’ve experienced the power of tangential thinking!
(verb) To have a strong effect on something; to encroach or trespass on something, especially rights or freedom.
The new surveillance policy was challenged in court on the grounds that it impinged on the privacy rights of ordinary citizens.