accidental

[ak-si-den-tl]

adjective

1. happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected.

   an accidental meeting.

   Synonyms: unintentional
   Antonyms: contrived, planned

2. nonessential; incidental; subsidiary.

   accidental benefits.

3. Music.,  relating to or indicating sharps, flats, or naturals.

noun

1. a nonessential or subsidiary circumstance, characteristic, or feature.

2. Music.,  a sign placed before a note indicating a chromatic alteration of its pitch.

accidental

/ ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl /

adjective

1. occurring by chance, unexpectedly, or unintentionally

2. nonessential; incidental

3. music denoting sharps, flats, or naturals that are not in the key signature of a piece

4. logic (of a property) not essential; contingent

noun

1. an incidental, nonessential, or supplementary circumstance, factor, or attribute

2. music a symbol denoting a sharp, flat, or natural that is not a part of the key signature

Other Word Forms

• accidentally adverb
• accidently adverb
• accidentalness noun
• accidentality noun
• nonaccidental adjective
• nonaccidentalness noun
• preaccidental adjective
• pseudoaccidental adjective
• quasi-accidental adjective
• unaccidental adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of accidental¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word accidentālis. See accident, -al ¹

Synonym Study

Accidental, casual, fortuitous all describe something outside the usual course of events. Accidental implies occurring unexpectedly or by chance: an accidental blow. Casual describes a passing event of slight importance: a casual reference. Fortuitous is applied to events occurring without known cause, often of a fortunate or favorable nature: a fortuitous shower of meteors. It often also implies good luck or good fortune: a fortuitous choice leading to rapid advancement.

Example Sentences

Authorities ruled Hodgson’s death to be accidental and found three plastic bindles, which are normally used to hold drugs, in his stomach, according to the coroner’s report.

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The princess was awake and had already caught sight of her accidental visitor.

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“I apologize for our accidental meeting in the attic, and for the acorn attack as well. I assure you, it will never happen again.”

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“Just because one does not see something, that does not mean it isn’t there,” the lady replied, in an accidental moment of insight.

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After all, the accidental discovery of fourteenth-century celadon vases led to the excavation itself.

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Related Words

• coincidental 
• inadvertent 
• incidental 
• random 
• unexpected 
• unforeseen 
• unintended 
• unintentional 
• unplanned 

When To Use

What does accidental mean?

Accidental describes something that happens by chance or without planning, as in The hero has an accidental meeting with the villain early in the movie that sets the hero on his course.Accidental can also sometimes refer to something that comes about by chance.Example: We had to sign a contract saying we are aware of the possibility of accidental injury.