fortuitous
Use Fortuitous in a sentence
ɪ adjective
1.
happening or produced by chance; accidental: a fortuitous encounter.
2.
lucky; fortunate: a series of fortuitous events that advanced her career.
Origin:
1645–55; < Latin fortuitus, fortuītus, equivalent to fortu- (u-stem base, otherwise unattested, akin to fors, genitive fortis chance, luck) + -itus, -ītus adj. suffix (for formation cf. gratuitous); see -ous
1645–55; < Latin fortuitus, fortuītus, equivalent to fortu- (u-stem base, otherwise unattested, akin to fors, genitive fortis chance, luck) + -itus, -ītus adj. suffix (for formation cf. gratuitous); see -ous
Related forms
for·tu·i·tous·ly, adverb
for·tu·i·tous·ness, noun
non·for·tu·i·tous, adjective
non·for·tu·i·tous·ly, adverb
non·for·tu·i·tous·ness, noun
Usage note
Fortuitous has developed in sense from “happening by chance” to “happening by lucky chance” to simply “lucky, fortunate.” This development was probably influenced by the similarity of fortuitous to fortunate and perhaps to felicitous: A fortuitous late-night snowfall made for a day of great skiing. Many object to the use of fortuitous to mean simply “fortunate” and insist that it should be limited to its original sense of “accidental.” In modern standard use, however, fortuitous almost always carries the senses both of accident or chance and luck or fortune. It is infrequently used in its sense of “accidental” without the suggestion of good luck, and even less frequently in the sense “lucky” without at least a suggestion of accident or chance: A fortuitous encounter with a former schoolmate led to a new and successful career for the artist.
Fortuitous has developed in sense from “happening by chance” to “happening by lucky chance” to simply “lucky, fortunate.” This development was probably influenced by the similarity of fortuitous to fortunate and perhaps to felicitous: A fortuitous late-night snowfall made for a day of great skiing. Many object to the use of fortuitous to mean simply “fortunate” and insist that it should be limited to its original sense of “accidental.” In modern standard use, however, fortuitous almost always carries the senses both of accident or chance and luck or fortune. It is infrequently used in its sense of “accidental” without the suggestion of good luck, and even less frequently in the sense “lucky” without at least a suggestion of accident or chance: A fortuitous encounter with a former schoolmate led to a new and successful career for the artist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To fortuitous
00:10
Fortuitous
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is ingratiate. Does it mean:
| to establish oneself in the favor or good graces of others, esp. by deliberate effort usually fol. by with: |
| willing to sell one's influence in return for a bribe |
Collins
World English Dictionary
fortuitous (fɔːˈtjuːɪtəs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| happening by chance, esp by a lucky chance; unplanned; accidental | |
| [C17: from Latin fortuitus happening by chance, from forte by chance, from fors chance, luck] | |
| for'tuitously | |
| —adv | |
| for'tuitousness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
fortuitous
1650s, from L. fortuitus, from forte "by chance," abl. of fors "chance." It means "accidental, undesigned" not "fortunate." Related: Fortuitously.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Fortuitous formation of metabolites offered ancient cells maximum biochemical flexibility with minimal gene content.
It's certainly true that he encouraged improvisation on set, and had a genius for seizing on fortuitous accidents.
It was an extremely fortuitous find, because the odds of mummification are slim, researchers noted.
The discovery of movies, books, and poems was fortuitous.
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