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Unusual vs Adventitious - What's the difference?

unusual | adventitious |

As adjectives the difference between unusual and adventitious

is that unusual is unlike what is expected; differing in some way from the norm while adventitious is from an external source; not innate or inherent, foreign.

unusual

English

Alternative forms

* unusuall (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Unlike what is expected; differing in some way from the norm.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.}}
  • Not usual.
  • Synonyms

    * (different from the expected) abnormal, rare, strange, weird, (stronger) extraordinary ** See also

    Antonyms

    * (different from the expected) normal, usual

    adventitious

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • From an external source; not innate or inherent, foreign.
  • Accidental, additional, appearing casually.
  • * 2002 , , The Great Nation , Penguin 2003, p. 30:
  • The adventitious disappearance of those nearer the the throne than the duke had, moreover, set tongues awagging.
  • (genetics, medicine) Not congenital; acquired.
  • (biology) Developing in an unusual place or from an unusual source.
  • * 1985 , , H. T. Clifford, & P. F. Yeo, The Families of the Monocotyledons , page 101
  • The Velloziaceae have evolved a woody stem which is covered with a layer of adventitious roots mingled with the fibres of the old leaf sheaths;

    Synonyms

    * (from an external source) extrinsic * accidental, spontaneous, sporadic * (not congenital) acquired

    Derived terms

    * adventitiously * adventitiousness