incidental
UK[ˌɪnsɪˈdentl]US[ˌɪnsɪˈdentl]
adj
happening or likely to happen in an unplanned or subordinate conjunction with something else
adj
occurring merely by chance or without intention or calculation
n
(incidentals) minor items or expenses incurred in the course of an activity
Morpheme Breakdown
in
cid
ental
in
on, upon
cid
fall
ental
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word "incidental" originates from the medieval latin term "incidentalis", which is derived from the latin verb "incidere", meaning "to fall into, to happen". "incidere" itself is a compound of the prefix "in-" (on, upon) and "cadere" (to fall). the core semantic logic moves from the literal image of something "falling upon" a situation to the abstract concept of an event occurring in connection with, but not central to, a primary matter. over time, this evolved into the modern english sense of something happening by chance or as a minor, non-essential accompaniment.
Analysis
Structure: in (on, upon) + cid (fall) + ental (adjective suffix)
- in: latin prefix meaning "on, upon, into".
- cid: latin root from the verb "cadere" (to fall, to happen).
- ental: latin-derived adjective suffix, a variant of "-al", meaning "pertaining to, relating to".
Examples
the report covers the main findings and any incidental observations made during the study.
the risks incidental to the profession are well understood and managed.
we budgeted for the main costs, but we need a fund for incidentals like taxi fares and meals.