Adscititious

/ˌædsɪˈtɪʃəs/ adjective

Definition

Added or acquired from outside; not original or inherent; supplementary or adopted from an external source.

Etymology

From Latin 'adscitius,' from 'ad-' (to) + 'sciscere' (to learn/decide). The word originally meant 'admitted or adopted from outside' and entered English in the 1600s.

Kelly Says

This is the kind of rare, sophisticated adjective that scholars and lawyers loved—it means 'borrowed' or 'added on' but sounds far more impressive, which is probably why it's nearly extinct in everyday English.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.