Definition of tangential
1a
: touching lightly : incidental, peripheral
tangential involvement
also
: of little relevance
arguments tangential to the main point
b
: divergent, digressive
2
: of, relating to, or of the nature of a tangent
3
: acting along or lying in a tangent
tangential forces
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for tangential
The first known use of tangential was in 1630
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