Fortuitous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /fɔːˈtjuː.ɪ.təs/

Definitions

1. Happening by chance in a way that produces a favorable or beneficial outcome
2. Occurring unexpectedly or by luck, often resulting in a positive or advantageous situation
3. Arising from unforeseen events in a manner that yields beneficial results or opportunities

Etymology: Fortuitous is a word that has quietly drifted toward good luck. Its Latin ancestor, "fortuitus," meant simply "happening by chance," with no sense of whether the chance was welcome or not. English took the word in as a learned borrowing, so it carries the same neutral core: something occurred accidentally, without design. The Latin base is "fors," meaning chance or luck, which traces back to a much older root meaning "to bear" or "carry," as if fortune were something that gets carried toward you. The suffix "-itus" simply turns the noun into an adjective, so the word is literally "of chance." Fortuity, a close relative that entered English from the same Latin source, is a doublet of this word, meaning the two forms split off from one original and settled into separate uses.

Synonyms: accidental, serendipitous, coincidental

Antonyms: intentional, planned