fortuitous
UK[fɔːˈtjuː.ɪ.təs]US[fɔːrˈtuː.ə.t̬əs]
adj
happening by chance, especially a lucky chance that brings a good result
adj
happening by chance rather than intention
Morpheme Breakdown
fortuit
ous
fortuit
chance
ous
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'fortuitous' originates from the latin 'fortuitus', an adjective derived from 'fors' (genitive 'fortis'), meaning 'chance' or 'luck'. this latin root is itself connected to the proto-indo-european concept of fortune and randomness. the literal meaning, 'characterized by chance', entered english in the 17th century. while its core meaning remains 'accidental', a semantic shift in modern usage increasingly associates the chance event with a fortunate or positive outcome, adding a layer of serendipity to its original neutral sense of mere happenstance.
Analysis
Structure: fortuit (chance) + ous (adjective suffix)
fortuit (from latin 'fortuitus', meaning 'accidental, casual, by chance'); ous (english adjective-forming suffix, from latin '-osus', meaning 'full of, characterized by')
Examples
our meeting was entirely fortuitous; i had no idea he would be at the same conference.
a fortuitous discovery in the laboratory led to a major breakthrough in medicine.
the success of the project was due more to a series of fortuitous events than to careful planning.