excrescent
/ɪkˈskɹɛs(ə)nt/
excrescent means growing out in an abnormal or morbid manner or as a superfluity.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, excrescent ranks #2,309 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,319 of 14,444 for Most Exacting Words, #2,548 of 14,322 for Scariest Words, #2,574 of 14,448 for Funniest Words.
excrescent is pronounced /ɪkˈskɹɛs(ə)nt/.
Why “excrescent” is a great word
Growing out abnormally or as a superfluous addition, or, in linguistics, denoting a sound inserted into a word without etymological justification. From Latin excrēscēns, present participle of excrēscere ("to grow out"), from ex- ("out") + crēscere ("to grow"), first attested in English in the mid-15th century. Unlike "inherent," which describes a natural and essential quality, or "integral," which denotes a necessary component, excrescent is the unwelcome guest, the architectural tumor, the sound that snuck in uninvited. It is the wart on the skin, the phantom /t/ in "dreamt," or the pointless administrative procedure—growth without purpose, form without permission, the world's stubborn tendency to complicate the simple.
Etymology
From Latin excrēscēns, present participle of excrēscō.
adj
- Growing out in an abnormal or morbid manner or as a superfluity.“Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent parts.”
noun
- A growing mutation, usually abnormal.
- A sound in a word without etymological reason.“"B" in "nimble" is an excrescent.”
Words closest in meaning
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