Digression vs. Parenthesis — What's the Difference?

Digression (parékbasis in Greek, egressio, digressio and excursion in Latin) is a section of a composition or speech that marks a temporary shift of subject; the digression ends when the writer or speaker returns to the main topic. Digressions can be used intentionally as a stylistic or rhetorical device.

A word or phrase inserted as an explanation or afterthought into a passage which is grammatically complete without it, in writing usually marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas

The act of digressing.

An interlude or interval

An instance of digressing, especially a written or spoken passage that has no bearing on the main subject.

Either or both of the upright curved lines, ( ), used to mark off explanatory or qualifying remarks in writing or printing or enclose a sum, product, or other expression considered or treated as a collective entity in a mathematical operation.

An aside, an act of straying from the main subject in speech or writing.

A qualifying or amplifying word, phrase, or sentence inserted within written matter in such a way as to be independent of the surrounding grammatical structure.

The act of straying from the main subject in speech or writing, (rhetoric) particularly for rhetorical effect.

A comment departing from the theme of discourse; a digression.

(obsolete) A deviancy, a sin or error, an act of straying from the path of righteousness or a general rule.

An interruption of continuity; an interval

A deviation, an act of straying from a path.

A clause, phrase or word which is inserted (usually for explanation or amplification) into a passage which is already grammatically complete, and usually marked off with brackets, commas or dashes.

An elongation, a deflection or deviation from a mean position or expected path.

Either of a pair of brackets, especially round brackets, ( and ) (used to enclose parenthetical material in a text).

The act of digressing or deviating, esp. from the main subject of a discourse; hence, a part of a discourse deviating from its main design or subject.

(rhetoric) A digression; the use of such digressions.

A turning aside from the right path; transgression; offense.

Such brackets as used to clarify expressions by grouping those terms affected by a common operator, or to enclose the components of a vector or the elements of a matrix.

The elongation, or angular distance from the sun; - said chiefly of the inferior planets.

A word, phrase, or sentence, by way of comment or explanation, inserted in, or attached to, a sentence which would be grammatically complete without it. It is usually inclosed within curved lines (see def. 2 below), or dashes.

A message that departs from the main subject

One of the curved lines () which inclose a parenthetic word or phrase.

A turning aside (of your course or attention or concern);

Either of two punctuation marks (or) used to enclose textual material

Wandering from the main path of a journey

A message that departs from the main subject