Word of the Day for Thursday September 22, 2005 adventitious \ad-ven-TISH-uhs\, adjective: 1. Added extrinsically; not essentially inherent. 2. (Biology) Out of the proper or usual place; as, "adventitious buds or roots." The snag is that the play's inflamed and adventitious topicality may distract people from the timelessness of its deepest concerns. --Paul Taylor, "Afghanistan mon amour," [1]Independent, December 15, 2001 I want first to argue that Nietzsche's contempt for democracy was an adventitious extra, inessential to his overall philosophical outlook. --Richard Rorty, "Pragmatism as Romantic Polytheism" But his posing was mostly harmless,--as superficial as the swagger and millinery of the soldier--merely adventitious to the genuine strength and gallantry underneath. --J. F. A. Pyre, "Byron in Our Day," [2]The Atlantic, April 1907 The trunk spores are actually adventitious roots that have erupted from the trunk in response to some stress or injury to the inner bark and are probably no reason for concern. --Scott Aker, "Expect More Dogwood Blossoms Next Year," [3]Washington Post, August 24, 2000 _________________________________________________________ Adventitious comes from Latin adventicius, "coming from without, from outside sources," from the past participle of advenire, "to come towards or to; (of events) to happen," from ad- "to" + venire, "to come." References 1. http://www.independent.co.uk/ 2. http://www.theatlantic.com/ 3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=adventitious