accident

/ak.si.dɑ̃/
nounBeginner
general

An unexpected and usually undesirable event that causes injury, damage, or loss.

Il y a eu un accident sur l'autoroute hier soir.

There was an accident on the highway last night.

Elle a eu un accident de voiture et s'est blessée.

She had a car accident and got injured.

💡

The word 'accident' is often used in the context of traffic incidents, workplace injuries, or other unforeseen events.

Collocations

avoir un accidentto have an accidentcause d'un accidentcause of an accidentaccident de travailworkplace accident

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

accident de la routephrase
road accident
accident vasculaire cérébralphrase
stroke

💡Pro Tip

Gender and Agreement

Remember that 'accident' is a masculine noun, so any adjectives or articles used with it must agree in gender and number (e.g., 'un grave accident').

Gold Rule

Usage in Legal Contexts

In legal contexts, 'accident' often refers to an event that was unintentional and not caused by negligence.

📖Word Origin

From Latin 'accidens', meaning 'happening, event'. The French word 'accident' retains this meaning, referring to an unexpected event.

📝Usage Notes

In French, 'accident' is a masculine noun and is often used in legal and insurance contexts to describe events that result in damage or injury.

Word Breakdown

ac-
to, toward
prefix
+
-cid-
fall, happen
root
+
-ent
present participle suffix
suffix
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais