🇺🇸
/ˈæksɪdənt/
🇺🇸
/ˈæksɪdənt/
🇬🇧
/ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/
🇬🇧
/ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/
Plural
accidents
An accident is an unexpected, unplanned event that usually results in harm, damage, injury, or loss — something that 'just happens' without intention. Think of spilling coffee on your laptop while rushing to a meeting, or a fender-bender at a busy intersection: no one meant for it to happen, but it did.
She suffered a serious injury in a cycling accident last summer.
The factory reported three minor accidents this quarter due to equipment malfunction.
He dropped the vase and broke it — it was purely by accident.
Emergency crews arrived quickly at the accident scene on Highway 101.
Accident prevention training is now mandatory for all new employees.
cadere
Comes from the Latin verb 'cadere', meaning 'to fall' or 'to happen (by chance)'. It conveys the idea of something occurring unexpectedly, often with a sense of descent, failure, or unintended consequence. Examples include accident, cadence, cascade, decadent, coincidence.
ad
Comes from the Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to' or 'toward'. In 'accident', it combines with 'cadere' to form 'ad-cadere' → 'adcidens' (falling upon), emphasizing occurrence happening to someone or something. Other examples: adjoin, adopt, attract, address.