accidental
C1Formal
Definition
Meaning
Happening by chance or unintentionally; not planned or deliberate.
1) In music, a symbol placed before a note to alter its pitch. 2) In philosophy (scholasticism), a property that is not essential to a thing.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used in formal or technical contexts to denote the absence of intention. Contrasts with 'deliberate' or 'intentional'. In music, it is a standard technical term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in general meaning or usage. The musical term is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English to use 'accidental' in legal contexts (e.g., 'accidental death') while US English might favour 'unintentional' in everyday speech.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It was accidental that + clauseadjective + accidental (e.g., purely, completely, totally)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A happy accident”
- “By accident (more common than 'by accidental')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to unplanned events affecting operations or liability (e.g., 'The data breach was purely accidental.').
Academic
Used in scientific writing to describe unforeseen results or in philosophy to discuss non-essential properties.
Everyday
Describes minor mishaps or unplanned occurrences (e.g., 'Our meeting was completely accidental.').
Technical
A precise term in music theory for sharps, flats, and naturals not in the key signature.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A ('accidentally' is the adverb form)
American English
- N/A ('accidentally' is the adverb form)
adjective
British English
- The fire was started by an accidental spark.
- He made an accidental discovery while cleaning the attic.
American English
- The shooting was ruled accidental.
- She gave him an accidental nudge in the crowded elevator.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I broke the cup. It was accidental.
- Our meeting in Paris was completely accidental.
- The damage to the car was accidental, so the insurance covered it.
- The scientist's breakthrough was the result of an accidental contamination in the lab.
- The composer used an unexpected accidental to create tension in the melody.
- The philosopher argued that consciousness is not an accidental property of the brain but an essential one.
- The policy covers both malicious acts and accidental damage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an 'ACCIDENT' - 'accidental' is the adjective form. If it wasn't on purpose, it was an ACCIDENT, therefore it was ACCIDENTAL.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF CONTROL IS A RANDOM FORCE (e.g., 'accidental forces', 'thrown together by accidental circumstances').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'случайный' in contexts where 'random' (as in 'random number') is more appropriate. 'Accidental' implies an unplanned event, not stochastic randomness.
- Do not confuse with 'incidental' (occurring as a minor consequence).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'accidental' as a noun in non-musical contexts (e.g., 'It was an accidental' - incorrect).
- Confusing 'accidental' with 'coincidental' (relating to two things happening at the same time).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'accidental' CORRECTLY in its musical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Accidental' means happening by chance or unintentionally. 'Incidental' means occurring as a minor consequence or being less important (e.g., 'incidental expenses').
Yes, but primarily only in music theory, where it refers to a sharp, flat, or natural sign not in the key signature. In general language, it is an adjective.
It is neutral but leans slightly formal. In very casual speech, people often use phrases like 'on accident' (especially in US English) or 'by mistake' instead of the adverb 'accidentally'.
The correct adverb is 'accidentally' (e.g., 'I accidentally deleted the file'). A common spelling mistake is 'accidently', which is non-standard.
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