Tangentially is a word that can be difficult to spell due to its long and complex structure. It is pronounced /tænˈdʒɛnʃəli/ with the stress on the second syllable. The first part of the word, "tangen," comes from the Latin word "tangere," which means "to touch." The suffix "-ally" is added to the end of the word to turn it into an adverb. So tangentially means "in a way that touches or relates to something indirectly". Overall, it's a word that requires careful attention to its spelling and pronunciation.
Tangentially is an adverb that describes a connection or relationship between two subjects or ideas that is indirect, peripheral, or only slightly related. It is derived from the word "tangent," which refers to a line or curve that touches a circle or curve at just one point, never intersecting it. Consequently, when something is described as "tangentially related" or "tangentially connected," it implies that it is only slightly connected or relevant to the main subject under discussion.
In a figurative sense, tangentially can also be used to describe an individual's approach or way of speaking. When someone speaks tangentially, they tend to diverge from the main subject or the central point of discussion by introducing unrelated or loosely related ideas. This might occur due to a lack of focus or a tendency to go off on tangents, diverting from the main discourse. However, this can also provide a fresh perspective and generate new insights or connections.
In summary, tangentially is an adverb that describes a relationship or connection that is indirect, peripheral, or only slightly related. It can be used to characterize both the content and manner of communication, indicating that something is slightly connected to the main subject or that someone digresses from the main point of discussion.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word tangentially is derived from the noun tangent. The noun tangent originated in the early 17th century from the Latin word tangens, present participle of tangere, which means to touch. In mathematics, a tangent is a line that touches a curve or a surface at a single point without intersecting it.
The adverb tangentially, which means in a way that relates to or moves along a tangent, is formed by adding the suffix -ally to the noun tangent. The suffix -ally is derived from the Latin suffix -alis, which denotes relation or pertaining to something. Therefore, the etymology of the word tangentially can be traced back to the Latin word tangens and the suffix -ally.