ancillary discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ancillary discussion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a secondary or supplementary conversation that supports or relates to a main topic. Example: "During the meeting, we had an ancillary discussion about the budget that provided valuable insights for our main agenda."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

And scholars speak of 'doxographies' to be found in the dialogues of Plato and the treatises of Aristotle, although these are works in which issues of philosophy are addressed, with only ancillary discussion of the views of others.

SEP

In other words, these are works (or sections of works) taking as their subject matter the tenets or doctrines of the philosophers, rather than independent works of philosophy in which the author addresses in the first instance issues or topics of philosophy, with ancillary discussion along the way of the opinions of other philosophers.

SEP

A discussion of the individual formats used to store and retrieve geospatial information is not provided in this report except as an ancillary discussion regarding any processing which may be required to harmonize and reformat the data.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The unions and the company met for formal talks in Washington yesterday morning, people close to the negotiations said, and ancillary discussions continued into the night.

The New York Times

But he added: "Having concluded our due diligence review and ancillary discussions, we have evaluated our findings against our investment criteria and today come to a decision not to proceed".

The Guardian - Business

There are a few ancillary features like Discussion, but the real reason to keep it around is to easily check out the daily deals.

TechCrunch

Therefore, a guiding consideration in evaluating particular conceptions of autonomy (though hardly a hard and fast test) will be whether it connects properly to these ancillary judgments (for discussion of "formal conditions" of a concept of autonomy, see Dworkin 1988, 7 10).

SEP

In addition to the films, there are ancillary events, including panel discussions, interviews, screenplay readings and more.

The New York Times

While the central findings in the paper (localization, role in olfactory learning) are solid, the way the paper is structured, the numerous ancillary data sets and the unfocused discussion tend to distract from what could be a strong message.

eLife

"I will be putting together one or two special issues a year, organizing ancillary events like symposia and panel discussions, and exploring book publishing".

The New York Times - Arts

The interactive nature of the technique, as well as the lively discussion that ensued, had the ancillary benefit of increasing class camaraderie.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, ensure the context makes it clear how the "ancillary discussion" relates to the primary subject being discussed. Avoid ambiguity by briefly explaining the connection.

Common error

While "ancillary discussion" is a correct and useful phrase, avoid using it excessively. Overuse can make your writing sound stilted or overly formal. Opt for simpler alternatives like "side discussion" or "related discussion" when appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ancillary discussion" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object within a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It describes a conversation that is related to, but not the primary focus of, a given subject.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ancillary discussion" refers to a secondary, supplementary conversation that is related to a main topic. Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical correctness and usability of this phrase. While not exceedingly common, it is suitable for use in formal, academic, and professional contexts. Alternative phrases include "supplementary discussion" and "side discussion". Although this expression is grammatically correct, overusing it might make the text sound unnatural. Remember to use it carefully and choose the appropriate substitute, if necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

supplementary discussion

Replaces "ancillary" with "supplementary", emphasizing the additional nature of the discussion.

secondary discussion

Substitutes "ancillary" with "secondary", focusing on the discussion's lower priority.

additional discussion

Uses "additional" instead of "ancillary", highlighting that it's an extra conversation.

related discussion

Replaces "ancillary" with "related", indicating a connection to the main topic.

supporting discussion

Focuses on the supportive role of the conversation.

side discussion

Emphasizes that the discussion is off to the side of the main point.

peripheral discussion

Highlights that the discussion is on the periphery of the main topic.

incidental discussion

Suggests the discussion happened as a byproduct or unplanned.

by-the-way discussion

This phrase highlights the casual and less important nature of the discussion.

tangential discussion

Implies the discussion veers slightly from the core subject matter.

FAQs

How can I use "ancillary discussion" in a sentence?

You can use "ancillary discussion" to refer to a secondary conversation that relates to a primary topic. For example, "The main focus was on project timelines, but we also had an "ancillary discussion" about budget allocations".

What are some alternatives to "ancillary discussion"?

Some alternatives include "supplementary discussion", "secondary discussion", or "side discussion" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "ancillary discussion" over a simpler term?

Use "ancillary discussion" when you want to emphasize the formal or technical nature of the context. It's particularly suitable for academic, scientific, or business writing where precision is valued.

What is the difference between "ancillary discussion" and "tangential discussion"?

"Ancillary discussion" suggests a related but secondary topic, while "tangential discussion" implies a topic that deviates from the main subject. "Ancillary" implies relevance, while "tangential" suggests a weaker connection.