parenthetical

[ par-uhn-thet-i-kuhl ]
See synonyms for: parentheticalparenthetically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. of, pertaining to, noting, or of the nature of a parenthesis: several unnecessary parenthetic remarks.

  2. characterized by the use of parentheses.

Origin of parenthetical

1
First recorded in 1620–30; from Greek parénthet(os) “interpolated” (verbid of parentithénai, equivalent to par- par- + en- en-2 + the-, variant stem of tithénai “to put” + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ic + -al1
  • Also par·en·thet·ic [par-uhn-thet-ik] /ˌpær ənˈθɛt ɪk/ .

Other words from parenthetical

  • par·en·thet·i·cal·i·ty [par-uhn-thet-i-kal-i-tee], /ˌpær ənˌθɛt ɪˈkæl ɪ ti/, par·en·thet·i·cal·ness, noun
  • par·en·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • in·ter·par·en·thet·ic, adjective
  • in·ter·par·en·thet·i·cal, adjective
  • un·par·en·thet·ic, adjective
  • un·par·en·thet·i·cal, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use parenthetical in a sentence

  • Bounce paused, in the midst of his mental energy, to take a parenthetic whiff.

    The Wild Man of the West | R.M. Ballantyne
  • Unluckily I am ignorant of the very rudiments of the matter, so his parenthetic enthusiasms were lost upon me.

  • But the whole dispute on Poetic Diction is too deep and too broad for an occasional or parenthetic notice.

  • The Presidente's shrug was so ruthlessly significant, that Fraisier was compelled to make short work of his parenthetic discourse.

    Cousin Pons | Honore de Balzac
  • In parenthetic clauses like this, the introductory ut may convey two very different meanings according to the context.

    Cato Maior de Senectute | Marcus Tullius Cicero