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Webster 1913 Edition

Fortuitous

For-tu′i-tous

,
Adj.
[L.
fortuitus
; akin to
forte
, adv., by chance, prop. abl. of
fors
,
fortis
, chance. See
Fortune
.]
1.
Happening by chance; coming or occuring unexpectedly, or without any known cause; chance;
as, the
fortuitous
concourse of atoms
.
It was from causes seemingly
fortuitous
. . . that all the mighty effects of the Reformation flowed.
Robertson.
So as to throw a glancing and
fortuitous
light upon the whole.
Hazlitt.
–
For-tu′i-tous-ly
,
adv.
–
For-tu′i-tous-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Fortuitous

FORTU'ITOUS

,
Adj.
[L. fortuitus, from the root of fors, forte, fortuna. The primary sense is to come, to fall, to happen. See Fare.]
Accidental; casual; happening by chance; coming or occurring unexpectedly, or without any known cause. We speak of fortuitous events, when they occur without our foreseeing or expecting them, and of a fortuitous concourse of atoms, when we suppose the concourse not to result from the design and power of a controlling agent. But an event cannot be in fact fortuitous. [See Accidental and Casual.]

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