Added 9 October 2026
accidence
/ˈæk.sɪ.dəns/ noun
Latin root: accidentia First recorded: late 14th century Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about accidence at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- The inflection of words.
- The rudiments of any subject.
- A book containing the first principles of grammar; a book containing the rudiments of any subject or art.
Origin
* First attested in the late 14th century. * (grammar): First attested in the mid 15th century. * From Middle English accidence, accidens, from Latin accidentia (“accidental matters”), from accidēns, present participle of accidere (“to happen”)
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)