digression
/daɪˈɡɹɛʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.25 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An aside, an act of straying from the main subject in speech or writing.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The act of straying from the main subject in speech or writing, (rhetoric) particularly for rhetorical effect.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A deviancy, a sin or error, an act of straying from the path of righteousness or a general rule.
Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable
noun
An elongation, a deflection or deviation from a mean position or expected path.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The lectures included lengthy digressions on topics ranging from the professor's dog to the meaning of life."
- "History tells us stodgy, cautious stuff, cardigan-football is the way to go here. The 1966 World Cup kicked off with 0-0 draw against Uruguay so tedious the Guardian match report contains a whimsical digression on the writer’s urge to drift off to sleep in the second half."
- "make digression... by way of digression..."
- "Nature... More stronger hadde her operacyon Than she hath nowe in her dygressyon."
- "By this little digression into Gascony, the Duke had an opportunity... to re-inforce himself with some particular Servants of his."
- "This digression [of the Sun] is not equall, but neare the Æquinoxiall intersections, it is right and greater, near the Solstices, more oblique and lesser."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: Old French
Word Breakdown
- Root: digressiun, digressio
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /daɪˈɡɹɛʃən/
- British English: /dʌɪˈɡɹɛʃən/