accidental

/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛn.təl/
adjectiveIntermediate happening by chance
general

Happening by chance or unexpectedly, not planned

She made an accidental discovery while cleaning the attic.

She found something valuable unexpectedly.

💡

Often used to describe events or actions that were not intended.

Collocations

accidental encounteran unexpected meetingaccidental damageunintended harm or destruction

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'accidental' to describe events that were not planned or intended.

📖Word Origin

From Latin 'accidentālis', meaning 'happening by chance'

📝Usage Notes

Can be used to describe both positive and negative unplanned events.

Word Breakdown

accident
an unexpected event
root
+
-al
relating to
suffix
English Dictionary