accident

/ˈak-sə-dənt/

Middle English, "happening, nonessential property, diseased condition, disturbance (of the mind)," borrowed from Anglo-French, "irregularity, incident, symptom," borrowed from Latin accident-, accidens "chance event, contingent attribute" (translating Greek symbebēkós), from present participle of accidere "to fall down, impinge on, be heard, happen," from ad- ad-cadere "to fall"

noun

  1. an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance

  2. lack of intention or necessity : chance

  3. an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance

Their meeting was an accident.

They met {phrase}by accident{/phrase} rather than by design.

noun

  1. insurance against loss through accidental bodily injury to the insured

adjective

  1. having a greater than average number of accidents

  2. having personality traits that predispose to accidents