Adventitious

Adventitious describes something that is added or appearing externally, not inherent or essential. It can pertain to something accidental or incidental, arising from a chance occurrence rather than a planned design. In biology, it refers to structures that develop in an unusual place or manner. Beyond the literal, it implies something unexpected, or extraneous to the primary subject. The word carries a nuance of being non-essential or secondary, a characteristic that is not integral to the core of whatever is being described.

Adventitious meaning with examples

• The novelist's success was largely down to a sudden and unexpected stroke of luck, a completely Adventitious endorsement from a well-known critic. This fortuitous event propelled the book to the top of the bestsellers' list and launched the author's career.
• During the archaeological dig, they uncovered Adventitious pottery shards within the undisturbed tomb. These items were not part of the original burial but rather a later, accidental intrusion or perhaps even a forgotten cleaning of the site.
• The botanist observed Adventitious roots growing from the stem of the plant, indicating an adaptation to absorb nutrients from the exposed soil caused by unusual circumstances or a change in the environmental conditions.
• Despite his careful preparations, unforeseen complications and Adventitious problems arose during the project's implementation, requiring immediate attention and quick thinking by all involved.
• The artist found inspiration for their new painting from an Adventitious splash of paint that landed on the canvas, which they turned into the central theme. They decided to embrace and incorporate the accidental element.