An adjective that describes something happening by chance or not intended, often referring to events that occur unexpectedly or unintentionally. In grammar, it can also modify nouns to indicate non-deliberate causes or outcomes. The term is used in formal or analytical contexts, including discussions of accidents in everyday life or jurisprudence, and in phrases like “accidental findings.”
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"The scientist announced an accidental discovery that changed the course of the study."
"She reminded him that the spill was accidental and not intentional."
"In the report, the error was described as an accidental omission rather than a deliberate one."
"The musician’s accidental fall on stage was unfortunate but not serious."
Accidental comes from the Latin accidentalis, from accidēre meaning ‘to happen’ or ‘to fall upon,’ formed by ad- ‘toward’ + cadere ‘to fall.’ The Latin root accid- (to fall upon) evolved into Old French accident and then Middle English, where it acquired the sense of something that happens by chance rather than by design. In English, accidental initially described things that occurred by accident in a broad sense, including physical events and incidental features of conditions or observations. Over time, the term narrowed to emphasize lack of intentionality, and in modern usage it functions primarily as a descriptive modifier for events, outcomes, or traits arising without deliberate planning. First known use in English appears in the late 14th or early 15th century, with corpus evidence of both legal and literary texts employing the term to indicate serendipitous or incidental occurrences, gradually strengthening its association with non-deliberate causes and processes.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "accidental" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "accidental"
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Pronounced ac-CID-en-tal with primary stress on the third syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl/. Break it as ac- SID -en - tal. Start with /æ/ as in 'cat', then /k/ release, /s/ pronounced softly, /ɪ/ like 'sit', /d/ voiced, /ɛ/ like 'bet', and finish with /ntəl/ where the /t/ lightly touches the tongue, and the final /əl/ is a quick, relaxed schwa-like ending. Mouth: lips neutral, tongue high-mid for /ɪ/, jaw moderately dropped.”,
Common errors: (1) Misplacing the stress on the first syllable (ac-CID-enter may happen); ensure the stress is on the second syllable: ac-CID-en-tal. (2) Slurring the /t/ or pronouncing a hard /t/ as in 'tall' causing /d/ or /t/ confusion; keep /t/ as a soft touch between /n/ and /əl/. (3) Mispronouncing /æ/ as /ə/ or /eɪ/ in US/UK/AU; aim for the short “a” in 'cat' for the first syllable. Correction tips: practice with minimal pairs (cid vs sid) and slow-tap the syllables.”,
US/UK/AU share /ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl/ but vowel quality can vary: US often has a slightly more nasal /æ/; UK tends to a crisper /æ/ with less vowel reduction; AU tends to a broader /æ/ with a light, flatter /ɛ/ in the /dɛn/ part. In connected speech, rhotic accents may add a subtle /ɹ/ rhythm in surrounding words, but not in the target. Stress remains on the second syllable; the final -al is often reduced to /əl/ in all three.
Key challenges include the multi-syllable structure with a dip in stress: ac-CID-en-tal. The /æ/ in the first syllable can be mispronounced as /ə/ or /eɪ/. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable must be clearly distinct from the /ɛ/ in /dɛnt/. The combination /ɡs/ cluster after /k/ can be softened; ensure you don’t insert extra vowels between /k/ and /s/. Finally, the final /l/ can be under-articulated in fast speech. Focus on syllable-timed delivery to keep clarity.”,
A unique feature is the weakly stressed ending -tal that often reduces to /təl/ in fluent speech. The vowel in the first syllable is short and brisk, not prolonged. When speaking, you’ll likely hear a slight pause before the last syllable in careful speech, while casual speech might blend ac-CID-en-təl with a faster rhythm. Practicing the -al ending with a light, quick /əl/ helps maintain naturalness in connected speech.
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