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adventitious

 - 5 dictionary results

ad⋅ven⋅ti⋅tious

  [ad-vuhn-tish-uhs]
Use adventitious in a Sentence
–adjective
1. associated with something by chance rather than as an integral part; extrinsic.
2. Botany, Zoology. appearing in an abnormal or unusual position or place, as a root.
Origin:
1595–1605; < L adventīcius lit., coming from without, external, equiv. to ad- ad- + ven- (s. of venīre to come) + -t(us) ptp. suffix + -īcius -itious

Related forms:
ad⋅ven⋅ti⋅tious⋅ly, adverb
ad⋅ven⋅ti⋅tious⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To adventitious
ad·ven·ti·tious   (ād'věn-tĭsh'əs, -vən-)   
adj.  

  1. Not inherent but added extrinsically. See Synonyms at accidental.

  2. Biology Of or belonging to a structure that develops in an unusual place: adventitious roots.


[From Latin adventīcius, foreign, from adventus, arrival; see advent.]
ad'ven·ti'tious·ly adv., ad'ven·ti'tious·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

adventitious 
"of the nature of an addition from without," 1603, from M.L. adventitius, a corruption of L. adventicius "coming from abroad, extraneous, foreign," from adventum, pp. of advenire "arrive" (see Advent).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ad·ven·ti·tious
Pronunciation: -&s
Function: adjective
1 a : arising sporadically or in other than the usuallocation adventitious part in embryonic development> b : occurring spontaneously or accidentally in a country or region to which it is not native adventitious insect>
2 : ADVENTITIAL
3 : not congenital<adventitious deafness> —ad·ven·ti·tious·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

adventitious ad·ven·ti·tious (ād'věn-tĭsh'əs, -vən-)
adj.

  1. Arising from an external source or occurring in an unusual place or manner; extrinsic.

  2. Occurring accidentally or spontaneously, not caused by heredity.

  3. Adventitial.

ad'ven·ti'tious·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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