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Translate files Accidental
/ˌeksɪˈdɛntl/
Meaning & Definition
adjective
happening by chance or unexpectedly.
The accidental discovery of penicillin changed the course of medicine.
not essential; incidental.
The accidental details in his account were not related to the main argument.
resulting from an unintentional action.
Her fall was caused by an accidental slip on the wet floor.
in music, altering the pitch of a note by a semitone.
The pianist added an accidental to the score, creating a unique sound.
Etymology
Latin 'accidens', meaning 'happening' or 'occurring'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
accidental inheritance:
an inheritance received unintentionally or unexpectedly.
accidental tourist:
a person who ends up traveling somewhere by chance or due to unforeseen circumstances.
accidental hero:
someone who becomes a hero by chance rather than intention.
Related Words
Slang Meanings
a mistake that turned out to be positive
That accidental text actually set us up on a date!
something unplanned that leads to fun
We had an accidental adventure when we missed our stop.