accidentalness

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ac•ci•den•tal /ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl/   adj. 

1. happening by accident and not by plan:
   an accidental death.

ac•ci•den•tal•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ac•ci•den•tal  (ak′si den′tl), adj. 

1. happening by chance or accident;
   not planned;
   unexpected:
   an accidental meeting.
2. nonessential;
   incidental;
   subsidiary:
   accidental benefits.
3. Music and Dance relating to or indicating sharps, flats, or naturals.

n. 

4. a nonessential or subsidiary circumstance, characteristic, or feature.
5. Music and Dance a sign placed before a note indicating a chromatic alteration of its pitch.

• Medieval Latin accidentālis. See accident, -al¹
• Middle English 1350–1400

ac′ci•den′tal•ly, adv. 
ac′ci•den′tal•ness, ac′ci•den•tal′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. unintentional, unforeseen.
  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.

Antonyms

• 1. planned, contrived.