Definition of ACCIDENT

accident

Plural: accidents

Noun

  • An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally.
  • an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
  • anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
    • "winning the lottery was a happy accident"
    • "it was due to an accident or fortuity"
  • An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.
  • An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.
  • casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.
  • A collision or crash of a vehicle, aircraft, or other form of transportation that causes damage to the transportation involved; and sometimes injury or death to the transportation's occupants or bystanders in close proximity. (but see Usage notes)
  • Any chance event.
  • Chance; random chance.
  • Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.
  • Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.
  • A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, such as gender, number, or case.
  • An instance of incontinence.
  • An instance of incontinence.
  • Urine or feces excreted due to incontinence.
  • An unintended pregnancy.
  • An unintended pregnancy.
  • A person born from an unintended pregnancy.
  • An irregular surface feature with no apparent cause.
  • A sudden discontinuity of ground such as fault of great thickness, bed or lentil of unstable ground.
  • A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.

Adj

  • Designating any form of transportation involved in an accident.

Examples

  • Beauty is an accident.
  • Lexical gaps are called accidental because their existence is by accident; it is not essential.
  • My insurance went up after the second accident in three months.
  • Playing a seven-letter word by accident is the best kind of surprise.
  • Taylor was our sweet little accident, and we're so glad!
  • The NTSB report revealed that the accident airplane was a Cessna 172.
  • There was a huge accident on I5 involving 15 automobiles.
  • to die by an accident such as an act of God

Origin / Etymology

First attested in the late 14th century. From Middle English accident, from Old French accident, from Latin accidēns, present active participle of accidō (“happen”); from ad (“to”) + cadō (“fall”). See cadence, case. In the sense “unintended pregnancy”, first attested in 1932.

Scrabble Score: 13

accident: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
accident: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
accident: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

accident: valid Words With Friends Word