fortuitous (2009-06-29)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: [for-'tu-i-tês]

Definition: Coincidental, accidental; occurring by chance.

Usage: Remember that today's word does not necessarily carry with it the implication of good luck; that is the job of "fortunate:" "Gwendolyn was fortunate that she fortuitously sprained her ankle leaving for the airport and was still at home when the Prize Patrol arrived with her check for $1 million." Today's word emphasizes coincidence: "It was sheer fortuity that Martha Stewart sold her ImClone stock the day before its price dropped precipitously (though fortunate for Martha)."

Suggested Usage: The confusion of "fortuitous" and "fortunate" is so well-established it may be impossible to straighten out the meanings of these two words at this point. Even those who use today's word to mean "by accident," usually imply that the accident is a happy one; indeed, most contemporary dictionaries now list that meaning. The original meaning, however, is simply "accidental." The adverb is "fortuitously" and you have your choice of two nouns: "fortuity" or "fortuitousness."

Etymology: From Latin fortuitus based on fors, fortis "chance." The adverb is forte "by chance." The Latin root comes from the same source as English "bear" (the verb) and "birth" and also underlies Fortuna, the name of the Roman god of good fortune. Since the original root apparently meant "to carry," the semantic connection with "fors" is difficult to make. This word is unrelated to French "fort" and Italian "forte," both of which share ancestry with English "borough" and German berg "mountain."