# fortuitous

/fɔɹˈtuɪtəs/ (US) · /fɔːtjˈuːɪtəs/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fortuitous
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

happening by chance rather than being planned. It often describes a lucky accident that leads to a good result.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "a fortuitous effort" but "a fortunate effort" — Fortuitous describes something happening by chance; it cannot describe intentional actions or efforts.

## Usage notes

- Often used as a synonym for 'lucky', though purists maintain it should only refer to chance occurrences, whether positive or negative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.