English Meaning & Definitions
Happening by chance, unintentionally, or unexpectedly.
- “The discovery of penicillin was largely accidental.”
- “He made an accidental error while typing the report.”
A sign (such as a sharp, flat, or natural) placed before a note in music to indicate a momentary departure from the key signature.
- “The composer used several accidentals to create a dissonant, modern sound.”
- “Make sure to observe the accidental marked in the second measure.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “accidental”.
Derived from the Middle English 'accidental', from Old French, and ultimately from the Latin 'accidentalis', based on 'accidere' (to happen, befall), which is a combination of 'ad-' (to) and 'cadere' (to fall). The sense is of something 'falling' into one's path by chance.
Think of an 'accident' that 'all' (al) of a sudden happens.
Frequently Asked Questions About “accidental”
1. What is the meaning of “accidental” in English?
In English, accidental (adjective) is defined as: “Happening by chance, unintentionally, or unexpectedly.”.
2. How do you use “accidental” in a sentence?
“The discovery of penicillin was largely accidental.”
3. What are English synonyms of “accidental”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “accidental”?
Derived from the Middle English 'accidental', from Old French, and ultimately from the Latin 'accidentalis', based on 'accidere' (to happen, befall), which is a combination of 'ad-' (to) and 'cadere' (to fall). The sense is of something 'falling' into one's path by chance.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.