Word
fortuitous
Phoneticsfor·tu·itous
US/fɔɹˈtuɪtəs/
UK/fɔːtjˈuːɪtəs/
Definition
adj. happening by chance rather than being planned. It often describes a lucky accident that leads to a good result.
adj. occurring by chance or accident rather than by design. While technically neutral, it is frequently used to describe lucky or beneficial coincidences.
Examples
“Their meeting at the airport was entirely fortuitous.”
“The timing of the grant was fortuitous, arriving just as the laboratory's primary funding source was about to expire.”
“The discovery of the manuscript was purely fortuitous, as the archivist was actually searching for unrelated tax records from the same century.”
Examples
simple
“Their meeting at the airport was entirely fortuitous.”
contextual
“The timing of the grant was fortuitous, arriving just as the laboratory's primary funding source was about to expire.”
complex
“The discovery of the manuscript was purely fortuitous, as the archivist was actually searching for unrelated tax records from the same century.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “fortuitous” in context.
Verb
01. deem fortuitous
“The discovery was deemed fortuitous by the research team.”
verb + adj
02. prove fortuitous
“The delay proved fortuitous, as it allowed us to fix a major error before the launch.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. entirely fortuitous
“Their meeting in such a remote location was entirely fortuitous.”
adv + adj
04. purely fortuitous
“The timing of the announcement was purely fortuitous, coinciding perfectly with the market rally.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. fortuitous circumstance
“A series of fortuitous circumstances led to the company's sudden success.”
adj + noun
06. fortuitous encounter
“A fortuitous encounter at a conference led to their lifelong partnership.”
adj + noun
07. fortuitous event
“The victory was the result of a fortuitous event rather than superior strategy.”
adj + noun
08. fortuitous timing
“The fortuitous timing of the rain saved the crops from the heatwave.”
adj + noun
09. a highly fortuitous discovery
“The archaeologists made a highly fortuitous discovery during the routine survey.”
10. by a fortuitous coincidence
“By a fortuitous coincidence, the specialist was in town when the patient arrived.”
11. result of fortuitous timing
“The success of the product was largely the result of fortuitous timing.”
Usage
Often used as a synonym for 'lucky', though purists maintain it should only refer to chance occurrences, whether positive or negative.
Pitfall
a fortuitous effort
a fortunate effort
Fortuitous describes something happening by chance; it cannot describe intentional actions or efforts.
Real-World Examples
“The museum will open on the siege's 20th anniversary next year and organizers said the timing of the announcement, four days after Mladic's capture in Serbia after nearly 16 years evading war crimes charges, was coincidental but fortuitous.” “Now though, in a fortuitous twist, the computer age is turning the gears of an automata revival.” Etymology
From Latin fortuītus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/fortuitous