extraneous
/ekˈstɹæɪ.ni.əs/
Group 13Difficulty 1/3
Definition
- (adjective)
- Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with GRE
Example in Context
The judge instructed the jury to disregard the extraneous information introduced by the defense, which had no bearing on the charges at hand.
Synonyms
unnecessaryirrelevantextra
Etymology
From Latin roots meaning belonging to the outside—irrelevant.
- extra- (Latin) — outside
- aneus (Latin) — belonging to
Memory Aid
🍑Sounds like “extra anus”
Imagine someone at a fancy dinner party discussing their EXTRA ANUS — completely IRRELEVANT!
Visual Association
🚫A cluttered desk with papers everywhere, but one giant rubber duck stuck in the middle, utterly unrelated.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “extraneous” mean on the GRE?
extraneous (adjective) means “Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with”. The judge instructed the jury to disregard the extraneous information introduced by the defense, which had no bearing on the charges at hand.
How to remember “extraneous” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “extraneous” sounds like “extra anus”. Imagine someone at a fancy dinner party discussing their EXTRA ANUS — completely IRRELEVANT!
What are synonyms for “extraneous”?
Common synonyms: unnecessary, irrelevant, extra.