extracurricular

[ek-struh-kuh-LER-ee-er]
Phonetic (Standard) IPA: (I really could us a beer)

Popcast Phonetic: “ex-TRUE-rri-kyuh-ler” — say it like a teacher who just realized there’s pizza left in the staff room after school and the janitor is in there cleaning out the fridge.

Adjective

relating to activities or interests that are outside the regular, expected, or formal program — like debating whether pineapple belongs on pizza while your math teacher plays Spider-Man memes on repeat.

EXPLANATION

Extracurricular refers to stuff you do outside the main academic or work schedule, possibly in the red light district, but who is telling. Think school clubs, hobbies, or any activity that isn’t on the official schedule, wink — like starting a podcast in your basement at 1 a.m., mastering skateboarding while eating popcorn, followed by chocking on said popcorn, or forming a secret fan club for The Mandalorian. It’s the word for all the fun extras that make life richer and the playlist more chaotic.

ORIGIN

From Latin roots extra- (“outside”) + curriculum (“course or running”), making the word essentially mean “outside the main run.” It’s been part of English vocabulary since at least the early 19th century.

EXAMPLE

The extracurricular D&D club met every Friday night, attracting more snacks than players and more drama than the school musical.

HOW TO USE

Use extracurricular for anything done outside regular duties or expectations — like when you decide hosting a pizza tasting blog counts as “professional development,” or your weekend Game of Thrones watch party becomes a full-on social strategy session.