tangential
Only slightly related
Tangential means touching only slightly or peripherally.
In geometry, a tangent line touches a curve at exactly one point without crossing it.
From this comes the broader sense of barely connected: a tangential relationship, a tangential comment.
To go off on a tangent is to veer from the main subject into loosely related territory.
His remarks were tangential to the actual issue.
Having no link
- extraneousNot pertinent or essential
- incidentalMinor and unplanned
- immaterialLacking physical form; unimportant
- peripheralExternal computer add-on
beside the point · inconsequential · secondary · ancillary · nonessential · superficial · cursory · glancing
Brief theatrical digression
- anecdoteBrief account of incident
- ramblingLong-winded and unfocused
- departureAct of going away
- excursionBrief recreational trip
interlude · diversion · detour · deviation · meandering · wandering · drifting · parenthesis
Outermost edge or margin
- marginalBarely adequate
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
- outlyingDistant from center
- sidelineSecondary business pursuit
ancillary · subsidiary · supplementary · adjunct · outer · edge · boundary · perimeter
Smooth, angleless line
- circleCurved closed shape
- radiusCenter-to-perimeter distance
- pointExact location or meaning
- lineContinuous mark or queue
slope · derivative · calculus · trigonometry · sine · cosine · intersection · plane
unrelated
Having no link
- extraneousNot pertinent or essential
- incidentalMinor and unplanned
- immaterialLacking physical form; unimportant
peripheral · beside the point · inconsequential · secondary · ancillary · nonessential · superficial · cursory · glancing · passing
aside
Brief theatrical digression
excursion · interlude · diversion · detour · deviation · meandering · wandering · drifting · parenthesis · footnote
fringe
Outermost edge or margin
- marginalBarely adequate
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
- outlyingDistant from center
sideline · ancillary · subsidiary · supplementary · adjunct · outer · edge · boundary · perimeter · circumferential
curve
Smooth, angleless line
line · slope · derivative · calculus · trigonometry · sine · cosine · intersection · plane · arc
- directionsnorth, south, east, west, left
- orientationshorizontal, vertical, diagonal, perpendicular, parallel
- nonessentialunnecessary, unneeded, nonessential, inessential, dispensable
- indirecthint, detour, roundabout, evasive, veiled
- tedioustedious, tiresome, wearisome, boring, monotonous
- anatomical directionssagittal, transverse, lateral, dorsal, ventral
tangentialrelevant
Applying to the topic
pertinent · germane · on-topic · to the point · applicable