accidental

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Happening by chance, or unexpectedly; taking place not according to the usual course of things; by accident, unintentional.

   The discovery was purely accidental.

2. 2
   noun

   A property which is not essential; a nonessential; anything happening accidentally.

   He conceived it just that accidentals ... should sink with the substance of the accusation.

3. 3
   adj

   happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally

4. 4
   noun

   a musical notation that makes a note sharp or flat or natural although that is not part of the key signature

5. 5
   adj

   Pertaining to accident and not essence; thus, inessential; incidental; secondary.

6. 6
   adj

   Adjusted by one or two semitones, in temporary departure from the key signature.

7. 7
   adj

   Occurring sometimes, by chance; occasional.

8. 8
   adj

   Being a double point with two distinct tangent planes in 4-dimensional projective space.

Etymology

From Middle English accidental, from Anglo-Norman accidentel, Middle French accidentel, accidental, and their source, Late Latin accidēntālis; corresponding to accident + -al.