adventitious
adjective; formal; also used in scientific contexts

- Coming from an outside source rather than being inherent or innate.

- Happening accidentally rather than by design

- In biology, developing in an unusual position, such as roots growing from a stem.


Merriam-Webster, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The first known English use of adventitious is from 1603. Its ancestor is Latin adventīcius, meaning “coming from outside”, “external” or “foreign”. Behind that stands advenīre: “to arrive”.

That distinction connects the word’s everyday and scientific uses. An influence can arrive from outside; a root can appear somewhere other than its usual position. Neither use necessarily suggests a benefit or a problem.

A useful family resemblance: advent, adventure and avenue also lead back to the same Latin verb. This rather scholarly adjective has some surprisingly familiar relatives.

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THE MOULD AND THE TEARS

Mould appeared on Alexander Fleming’s bacterial culture plate. Nearby colonies were becoming translucent and breaking down—the unusual sight that prompted his investigation into penicillin.

The mould stars in the familiar discovery story. But earlier research, seemingly of little practical promise, also played a part.

Fleming had studied lysozyme, an antibacterial substance in tears and egg white. Tiny amounts rapidly cleared cloudy suspensions of susceptible bacteria. Unfortunately, those most affected did not infect humans.

A disappointing result? Perhaps. Yet his lysozyme techniques helped him investigate penicillin when it appeared in 1928.

We picture discovery as a sudden interruption: someone notices something strange, and history turns a corner. Here, the surprise connected with work already under way.

The mould supplied the surprise; earlier experiments supplied the tools. Chance and preparation met on the same plate.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

accidental, ADVENTITIOUS, external, extrinsic, incidental, unplanned

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