coincidence
UK[kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns]US[koʊˈɪnsɪdəns]
n
An occasion when two or more similar things happen at the same time, especially in a way that is unlikely and surprising.
n
A situation in which ideas, opinions, etc. are the same.
Morpheme Breakdown
co
in
cidence
co
together
in
on
cidence
falling
Etymology
The word 'coincidence' originates from the Medieval Latin 'coincidentia', meaning 'a falling together'. It is built from the Latin components 'co-' (together), 'in-' (upon), and 'cadere' (to fall). The literal image is of events 'falling upon' the same point together. Over time, this concrete spatial meaning evolved into the modern abstract sense describing the unexpected concurrence of separate events, preserving the core idea of things coming together in time or circumstance by chance rather than design.
Analysis
Structure: co (together) + in (on) + cidence (falling)
- co: Latin prefix 'com-', meaning 'together, with'. In English, it often appears as 'co-' before vowels and 'h'.
- in: Latin prefix 'in-', meaning 'on, upon, into'.
- cidence: From the Latin verb stem 'cidere' (from 'cadere', meaning 'to fall'), combined with the noun-forming suffix '-ence' indicating an action or state.
Examples
What a coincidence meeting you here!
By pure coincidence, we were both wearing the same dress.
It is no coincidence that the best companies also invest the most in employee training.