accidental
[ ak-si-den-tl ]
/ ˌæk sɪˈdɛn tl /
adjective
happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
nonessential; incidental; subsidiary: accidental benefits.
Music.
relating to or indicating sharps, flats, or naturals.
noun
a nonessential or subsidiary circumstance, characteristic, or feature.
Music.
a sign placed before a note indicating a chromatic alteration of its pitch.
Origin of accidental
synonym study for accidental
1.
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.
OTHER WORDS FROM accidental
Words nearby accidental
Example sentences from the Web for accidental
British Dictionary definitions for accidental
accidental
/ (ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl) /
adjective
occurring by chance, unexpectedly, or unintentionally
nonessential; incidental
music
denoting sharps, flats, or naturals that are not in the key signature of a piece
logic
(of a property) not essential; contingent
noun
an incidental, nonessential, or supplementary circumstance, factor, or attribute
music
a symbol denoting a sharp, flat, or natural that is not a part of the key signature