chance

/ˈchan(t)s/

Middle English chaunce, chance “cheaunce, chaunce, chance, going back to Vulgar Latin *cadentia, noun derivative (formally feminine singular from neuter plural) of Latin cadent-, cadens, present participle of cadere “*ḱad- or *ḱHd- “śaśāda “śatsyati “

noun

  1. something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause

  2. the assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings : luck

  3. the fortuitous or incalculable element in existence : contingency

Which cards you are dealt is simply a matter of chance.

an outcome decided by chance

verb

  1. to take place, come about, or turn out by chance : happen

  2. to have the good or bad luck

  3. to come or light by chance

it chanced to rain that day

we chanced to meet

noun

  1. accidental homicide not entirely without fault of the killer but without evil intent

  2. haphazard action : confusion