Definitions of extraneous:

  • adjective:   not essential
    Example: "The ballet struck me as extraneous and somewhat out of keeping with the rest of the play"
  • adjective:   not pertinent to the matter under consideration
    Example: "An issue extraneous to the debate"
  • adjective:   not belonging to that in which it is contained; introduced from an outside source
    Example: "Water free of extraneous matter"
  • adjective:   coming from the outside
    Example: "Extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photograph"