The historian's lecture on ancient trade routes included only a tangential mention of coinage, focusing instead on maritime navigation.
历史学家关于古代贸易路线的讲座仅附带提到了铸币，重点则放在海上航行上。
Which choice best defines “tangential”?
D — Only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related. “tangential” means only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related.
Which word means “only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related”?
C — tangential. “tangential” means only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related.
tangential — only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related. In Chinese: 间接相关的，次要的.
tangential is pronounced /tænˈdʒɛnʃəl/.
The historian's lecture on ancient trade routes included only a tangential mention of coinage, focusing instead on maritime navigation. (历史学家关于古代贸易路线的讲座仅附带提到了铸币，重点则放在海上航行上。)
peripheral, incidental, irrelevant — all close in meaning to tangential (only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related).
central, essential — each the opposite of tangential (only slightly connected or related, not central or directly related).
Yes. tangential is on the SAT Prep Easy list — mid-frequency academic words that do get tested. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.
tangent (tangent) + ial (adjective suffix) → like a tangent that is secondary or not directly related