fortuitousness

for·tu·i·tous

F0272900 (fôr-to͞o′ĭ-təs, -tyo͞o′-)adj.1. Happening by accident or chance. See Synonyms at accidental.2. Resulting in good fortune; lucky.

[Latin fortuītus; see bher- in Indo-European roots.]

for·tu′i·tous·ly adv.for·tu′i·tous·ness n.Usage Note: The traditional meaning of fortuitous is "happening by chance, accidental." Perhaps because many chance events are favorable or because of the similarity of fortuitous to fortunate and felicitous, fortuitous has acquired the meaning "characterized by good fortune, lucky." (Note that the word fortunate underwent a similar shift in meaning centuries ago.) In our 2005 survey, a solid majority of the Usage Panel accepted the use of the word to mean "lucky." Some 68 percent accepted the sentence The photographer felt that it was very fortuitous that she was in place to take the winning photo, where the adverb very rules out the possibility that the word might mean "accidental." A similar percentage (67) accepted the sentence The meeting proved fortuitous: I came away with a much better idea of my role, where the verb prove makes the meaning "accidental" an unlikely fit. This two-thirds majority stands in stark contrast to the 85 percent that rejected this same sentence in 1967. Nonetheless, writers should take care to avoid creating contexts in which the meaning of the word is ambiguous.

Thesaurus

Noun

fortuitousness - the quality of happening accidentally and by lucky chanceuncertainness, uncertainty, precariousness - being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance; "the uncertainty of the outcome"; "the precariousness of his income"

fortuitousness

nounThe quality shared by random, unintended, or unpredictable events or this quality regarded as the cause of such events:chance, fortuity, fortune, hap, hazard, luck.

Translations

accidentalità

fortuitousness

for·tu·i·tous

fortuitousness

fortuitousness

Synonyms for fortuitousness

noun the quality shared by random, unintended, or unpredictable events or this quality regarded as the cause of such events

Synonyms

Words related to fortuitousness

noun the quality of happening accidentally and by lucky chance

Related Words