[ac.ci.dent] n [ME, fr. MF, fr. L accident-, accidens nonessential quality, chance, fr. prp. of accidere to happen, fr. ad- + cadere to fall--more at chance] (14c) 1 a: an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance b: lack of intention or necessity: chance "met by ~ rather than by design"
2. a: an unfortunate event resulting esp. from carelessness or ignorance b: an unexpected and medically important bodily event esp. when injurious "a cerebrovascular ~" c: an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought
3: a nonessential property or quality of an entity or circumstance "the ~ of nationality"