Word of the Day - 07/30/26
fortuitous
/fɔr'tuɪtəs/(adj.): having no cause or apparent cause
His sudden, fortuitous change of heart was perplexing, as nothing seemed to have prompted it.
(adj.): occurring by happy chance
The company's fortuitous discovery of a new market segment led to unexpected growth.
Word Origin
The word 'fortuitous' originates from the Latin word 'fortuitus', meaning 'accidental' or 'by chance'. This in turn derives from 'fors', meaning 'chance' or 'luck', and 'fortuna', meaning 'luck' or 'fortune'. The English word incorporates the suffix '-ous' (from Latin '-osus' via Old French and Middle English), which means 'full of' or 'characterized by'.
Words with similar origins include 'fortune', 'fortunate', 'misfortune', and 'unfortunate', all stemming from the Latin root 'fortuna' or 'fors'.