excrescent
/ɪkˈskɹɛsənt/ noun, adjective
Forms excrescents
- noun A growing mutation, usually abnormal.
- noun (historical linguistics) A sound in a word without etymological reason. “"B" in "nimble" is an excrescent.”
- adjective Growing out in an abnormal or morbid manner or as a superfluity.
Etymology
From Latin excrēscēns, present participle of excrēscō.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Growing out in an abnormal or morbid manner or as a superfluity.
Etymology [L. excresens, -entis, p. pr. of excrescere to grow out ; ex out + crescere to grow. See Crescent.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “excrescent”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details