Skip to learning

YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

extraneous

Adjective

IPA /ɪkˈstreɪniəs/

Understand it. Say it. Use it.

UNDERSTAND THE WORD

Meaning in plain English

Not relevant or necessary to the subject or task being considered.

SAY IT ALOUD

Pronunciation

extraneous/ɪkˈstreɪniəs/

PICTURE THE IDEA

See the meaning

Follow the idea
  1. A short invitation gives key information

  2. Unrelated background details are added

  3. Those unnecessary details are removed

Extraneous details do not help with the subject or purpose of the message.

SEE IT IN EVERYDAY ENGLISH

Examples in context

Read the examples aloud. Notice how the word fits the sentence, then think of a situation of your own.

  1. We removed the extraneous details so the invitation was easier to read.
  2. The editor asked me to cut extraneous information from the report.

MAKE IT STICK

Quick word quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the word?

Complete the example using the word from this lesson.

We removed the ________ details so the invitation was easier to read.
Show the answer

extraneous — Not relevant or necessary to the subject or task being considered.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “extraneous” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

Not relevant or necessary to the subject or task being considered.

Compare: We removed the extraneous details so the invitation was easier to read.

Check the spelling and how the word fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.

This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.

Word origin

From Latin extraneus, with the English ending -ous.

Did you know?

Extraneous to identifies the subject to which something does not belong.

Explore related words

Open a word’s lesson when available, or explore entries that use the related term.

Make the word your own

  1. Say the word aloud and read an example sentence.
  2. Write a new sentence about something familiar to you.
  3. Cover the meaning and try explaining the word in your own words.

Continue with the app’s practice check, then try a sentence of your own to mark this word complete.

Practise this word in the app

Completion and saved words stay in this browser on this device.

Share this word

Save the image or share a link to this word.

@englishskillstudio

extraneous

/ɪkˈstreɪniəs/ (Adjective)

“This adjective is formal. Use it for irrelevant details or material, rather than for every additional detail.”

englishskillstudio.com