a passage or section that deviates from the central theme in speech or writing.
Origin
1325-75;Middle English < Anglo-French < Latindīgressiōn- (stem of dīgressiō) a going away, aside, equivalent to dīgress(us) (see digress) + -iōn--ion
Related forms
digressional, digressionary, adjective
Synonyms
1, 2. deviation, divergence.
Examples from the web for digression
Under these conditions, diversion and instruction are diametrically opposed, and digression has no place in the classroom.
To him, life is a flow, a simultaneous progression and digression.
This was something of a digression from the main stream of his work.
His jokes, his quarrelsomeness and his weakness for digression are a drawback.
We shall interrupt a little in order to open up an explanatory digression.
That digression was impressive; but perhaps you should concentrate on what I said, rather than run off at a tangent so quickly.
Which brings me inexplicably to a digression on the number three.
I'll stop now before I wander off into non-topical digression.
It's been sad to watch the digression.
Then I apologize to the rest of the class for the digression.
British Dictionary definitions for digression
digression
/daɪˈɡrɛʃən/
noun
1.
an act or instance of digressing from a main subject in speech or writing
Derived Forms
digressional, adjective
Word Origin and History for digression
n.
late 14c., from Latin digressionem (nominative digressio) "a going away, departing," noun of action from past participle stem of digredi "to deviate," from dis- "apart, aside" (see dis-) + gradi "to step, go" (see grade (n.)).