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tangential (adj.)

1620s, see tangent (adj.) + -ial. Figurative sense of "divergent, erratic" is from 1787; that of "slightly connected" is from 1825. Related: Tangentially.

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Definitions of tangential from WordNet

tangential (adj.)
of superficial relevance if any;
a tangential remark
Synonyms: digressive
tangential (adj.)
of or relating to or acting along or in the direction of a tangent;
tangential forces
From wordnet.princeton.edu