a.; also adventicious. [f. L. adventīci-us, in med.L. corruptly written adventiti-us, coming to us from abroad + -OUS: see ADVENT, and -ITIOUS). The occas. adventicious is etymologically a better spelling.]
1. Of the nature of an addition from without; extrinsically added, not essentially inherent; supervenient, accidental, casual. Cf. the obs. ADVENTIVE.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1307. That which is extraordinarily adventitious, unholsome and diseased.
1627. Hakewill, Apol., II. ix. § 6. This decay in the creatures ariseth … from an adventicious and externall cause.
1630. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 387. Greek … was an adventitious, no mother-language to them.
1677. Gale, Crt. of Gentiles, II. IV. 36. An adventitious joy which hath no funde or bottome.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. on Waters, I. 35. Our Thames … is tainted with an infinite variety of adventitious bodies from the streets.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res. (1858), 34. When a man first strips himself of adventitious wrappages; and sees indeed that he is naked.
1846. Grote, Greece (1862), I. xviii. 424. An adventitious population accumulated in Attica.
2. Law. (See quot.)
1651. W. G., trans. Cowel’s Instit., 17. Estate whither adventitious or bequeathed.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., Adventitious, in the Civil Law, is applied to such goods as fall to a man, either by mere fortune, or by the liberality of a stranger, or by collateral, not direct succession. In this sense the word stands opposed to Profectitious; by which are signified such goods as descend in a direct line.
1880. Muirhead, Ulpian, vi. § 3. A dowry is either profecticious, that is, given by the woman’s father, or adventicious, given by some other person.
3. Nat. Hist. Appearing casually, or out of the normal or usual place, esp. in Bot. of roots, shoots, buds, etc., produced in unusual parts of the plant.
1676. Grew, Anat. Plants, IV. I. ii. (1682), 148. There are also some spots, or rather streaks, which are adventitious; as those in the Leaves of Sonchus.
1836. Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., I. 606/1. Like all adventitious organic products, cicatrices are very readily irritated.
1842. Gray, Struct. Bot., iii. § 2 (1880), 45. Even leaves may develop adventitious buds.
1872. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 233. The celebrated Banyan tree, remarkable for the enormous extension of its crown by means of adventitious roots.
