tangential
/tænˈdʒɛn.tʃəl/
Group 24Difficulty 2/3
Definition
- (adjective)
- Relating to or along a tangent; diverging from a previous course; only marginally connected GRE
Example in Context
The committee chair reminded members to stay focused on the agenda and to avoid raising tangential issues that could delay the proceedings.
Synonyms
off-topicirrelevantperipheral
Etymology
Having the quality of touching lightly, often unrelatedly.
- tangere (Latin) — to touch
- -ial (Latin) — having the quality of
Memory Aid
🏌️♂️Sounds like “tan-gent-ial”
A golfer named Tan-Gent playing a game while constantly getting distracted by squirrels — his thoughts are TANGENTIAL!
Visual Association
🌀A swirling tornado of random ideas that barely touch each other, illustrating the concept of TANGENTIAL thinking.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “tangential” mean on the GRE?
tangential (adjective) means “Relating to or along a tangent; diverging from a previous course; only marginally connected”. The committee chair reminded members to stay focused on the agenda and to avoid raising tangential issues that could delay the proceedings.
How to remember “tangential” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “tangential” sounds like “tan-gent-ial”. A golfer named Tan-Gent playing a game while constantly getting distracted by squirrels — his thoughts are TANGENTIAL!
What are synonyms for “tangential”?
Common synonyms: off-topic, irrelevant, peripheral.