4 syllables: co, in, ci, dent. Stress on in.
koh-IN-suh-duhnt
/koʊˈɪnsədənt/
coincident is pronounced koh-IN-suh-duhnt (/koʊˈɪnsədənt/). It has four syllables (co-in-ci-dent), with the stress on "in". Coincident is an adjective or noun describing events that happen at the same time or in association with one another; in mathematics and logic it can describe a relation where two things occur together by coincidence rather than cause. The word implies a fortuitous alignment or occurrence, often unexpected. It can also function as a noun, referring to a coincidence itself or, in some contexts, a person bound by coincidence in literary usage.
Coincident is an adjective or noun describing events that happen at the same time or in association with one another; in mathematics and logic it can describe a relation where two things occur together by coincidence rather than cause. The word implies a fortuitous alignment or occurrence, often unexpected. It can also function as a noun, referring to a coincidence itself or, in some contexts, a person bound by coincidence in literary usage.
"- The two discoveries were coincident, occurring in the same year by chance."
"- It is a coincident that she was traveling when the exhibition opened."
"- Their statements about the timeline coincidentally matched, suggesting a shared source."
You say it as ko-ɪn-sɪ-dənt in US and kə-ɪn-sɪ-dənt in UK; primary stress on the second syllable: /ˌkoʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ (US) or /ˌkəʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ (UK). Start with a clear /koʊ/ or /kəʊ/ on syllable 1, then /ɪn/, then /ˈsɪ/ with light emphasis on the penultimate, and end with /dənt/. For precise sound, ensure the second syllable forms a clean schwa-less /ɪ/ before the stressed /ˈsɪ/, finishing with /dən t/.
Common errors: misplacing stress (putting primary stress on the first syllable), producing /koʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ with incorrect /ˈsɪ/ placement, or eliding the middle consonant cluster so it sounds like /koɪnˈsɪdənt/ (missing the /d/ blend). Correction: keep the secondary syllable unstressed and crisp: /ˌkoʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ (US). Ensure you articulate /n/ before /s/ clearly and don’t let the /d/ merge with the following /t/; end with a distinct /nt/.
US typically has /ˌkoʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ with a rhotic /r/-free vowel in non-rhotic contexts and stronger /oʊ/ in first syllable. UK often uses /ˌkəʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ with more reduced first syllable vowel and non-rhotic towards /t/? AU sits between, sometimes /ˈkɒɪnsɪdənt/ or /ˌkəʊɪnˈsɪdənt/, with similar syllable count but varied vowel height. Core is the secondary stress on the penultimate and the /ɪ/ in /sɪ/ remains; the major variation is the first syllable vowel quality and rhoticity.
Because it combines a multi-syllable sequence with a tricky stress pattern and a mid-word consonant cluster: the transition between /n/ and /s/ and then /d/ before /t/ requires precise timing. The vowel in the first syllable is a diphthong /oʊ/ or a reduced /əʊ/ depending on accent, making the initial vowel glide. Additionally, the secondary stress on /ˈsɪ/ vs the initial weak vowel can be easy to misplace if you speak quickly.
The 'co' is pronounced as /koʊ/ or /kəʊ/ respectively; there are no silent letters. The primary stress is on the third syllable (/ˈsɪ/), not the first. The syllable break is co-i-ci-dent, with crisper /n/ before /s/ and a final /ˌdæ nt/ sequence in most accents. Some learners delay the /ɪ/ or shorten the /n/; aim for a smooth /koʊɪnˈsɪdənt/ with a clear /t/ ending.
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Coincident comes from Latin coincident- (stem of coincidere), meaning 'to fall together' from com- 'together' + incidere 'to fall upon, happen'. The term entered English via late Latin and Old French, with early usage in the 16th century in contexts of events falling together or being concurrent. The base incidence sense broadened to mathematical and logical relationships in later centuries, where two events share a temporal or causal relationship by appearance rather than direct causation. The stress pattern and spelling reflect the Latin root coincidere, but English adapted it with the -ent ending common to adjectives formed from passive participles. Over time,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "coincident" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "coincident"
-ent sounds
-ant sounds
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