digression
/daɪˈɡɹeʃən/digh-GREH-shuhn
/daɪˈɡɹɛʃən/digh-GREH-shuhn
Meaningthe act of digressing
Common meaning: a wander off the main subject
- diapart, awaySkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 166 · scan
- gressa step; to step, walkLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 821 · scan
- ionnoun ending: act or result
‘apart, away’ + ‘a step’ → digression
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from digress + -ion.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), DIGRESS, p.166 · scan
Roots
- digredi Latin “to step aside”
- gradus; gradior, gressus Latin “a step; to step, walk”
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