English
accidence
Accidence comes from Latin accidentia ‘accidental matters’, and goes back to accidere ‘to happen’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidere‘to happen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidēnspresent participle of accidere
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidentia‘accidental matters’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500accidence
- Englishearliest quotation 1562same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidere‘to happen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidēnspresent participle of accidere
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccidentia‘accidental matters’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500accidence
- Englishearliest quotation 1562same form
Earliest quotation: 1562, Gerard Legh, The Accedence of Armorie: “And forsomuch as this treateth of blazon of Armes,…”
first attested * First attested in the late 14th century (as stated in the etymology)
Every English word from Latin accidere
Today it means
noun The inflection of words.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin accidere / accidence