Adventitious

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌæd.vÉ™nˈtɪʃ.É™s/, /ˌæd.vÉ›nˈtɪʃ.É™s/

Origin

From Latin adventicius ("foreign"), from adveniō ("arrive").

Full definition of adventitious

Adjective

1. From an external source; not innate or inherent, foreign.
2. Accidental, additional, appearing casually.
• 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 30:The adventitious disappearance of those nearer the the throne than the duke had, moreover, set tongues awagging.
3. (genetics, medicine) Not congenital; acquired.
4. (biology) Developing in an unusual place or from an unusual source.
• 1985, Rolf Dahlgren, H. T. Clifford, & P. F. Yeo, The Families of the Monocotyledons, page 101The Velloziaceae have evolved a woody stem which is covered with a layer of adventitious roots mingled with the fibres of the old leaf sheaths;

Synonyms

• (from an external source) extrinsic
• (accidental, additional) accidental, spontaneous, sporadic
• (not congenital) acquired

Derived terms

• adventitiously
• adventitiousness

Related terms

• advent
• adventitial
• adventive
• adventively