accidental
[ ak-si-den-tl ]
/ ˌæk sɪˈdɛn tl /
adjective
happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
nonessential; incidental; subsidiary: accidental benefits.
Music. relating to or indicating sharps, flats, or naturals.
noun
a nonessential or subsidiary circumstance, characteristic, or feature.
Music. a sign placed before a note indicating a chromatic alteration of its pitch.
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Origin of accidental
SYNONYMS FOR accidental
Related forms
Synonym study
1. 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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for accidentally
British Dictionary definitions for accidentally
accidental
/ (ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl) /
adjective
occurring by chance, unexpectedly, or unintentionally
nonessential; incidental
music denoting sharps, flats, or naturals that are not in the key signature of a piece
logic (of a property) not essential; contingent
noun
an incidental, nonessential, or supplementary circumstance, factor, or attribute
music a symbol denoting a sharp, flat, or natural that is not a part of the key signature
Derived Forms
accidentally, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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