excrescent

E1X8C3R1E1S1C3E1N1T1
/ɪkˈskɹɛsənt/

noun

A growing mutation, usually abnormal.

“"B" in "nimble" is an excrescent.”

OriginLatin excrēscēns →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounexcrescent (plural excrescents)

plural excrescents

  1. A growing mutation, usually abnormal.
  2. historicalhuman sciencesA sound in a word without etymological reason.

    "B" in "nimble" is an excrescent.

adjectiveexcrescent (comparative more excrescent, superlative most excrescent)

comparative more excrescent · superlative most excrescent

  1. Growing out in an abnormal or morbid manner or as a superfluity.

    Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent parts.

    1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
superfluous

Origin

  1. Latinexcrēscēns
  2. Englishexcrescent

From Latin excrēscēns, present participle of excrēscō.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with excrescent

crescentfluorescentantidepressantincandescentconvalescentsuppressantiridescentincessantluminescentquiescentpubescentdepressanteffervescentopalescentpearlescentflorescentevanescentelectroluminescenttumescentphosphorescentessentprepubescentsenescentobsolescent
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

excrescent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excrescent

MLA

“excrescent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excrescent. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “excrescent,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excrescent.

Source: excrescent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.