fortuitous

Something fortuitous is usually a happy accident. Imagine you were hoping to find a rare book and then came across it at a garage sale for only a dollar. That would be a fortuitous discovery. The event was not planned, and it led to something good. A lucky coincidence is often described this way.

The word is about chance more than effort. You might say a meeting with a potential mentor was "fortuitous," meaning you did not plan it, but it turned out to be very helpful. Be careful, though: don't confuse "fortuitous" with "fortunate." Something can be fortunate without being accidental.

The word fortuitous describes something that happens by chance. In modern everyday English, it is often used for a chance event that turns out to be helpful, lucky, or beneficial. Think of it as an unplanned moment that leads to a good result.

For example: "The discovery of penicillin was fortuitous: Alexander Fleming did not set out to create an antibiotic, but a mold contamination in his lab led to the breakthrough." Or, "A fortuitous rain shower saved the farmer's crops."

Fortuitous often suggests that the event was not intended, but its result was positive. It differs from simply being "fortunate" because it emphasizes the accidental nature of the good outcome. You might be fortunate to win the lottery, but finding a twenty-dollar bill on the sidewalk is more likely to be described as fortuitous.

The word has roots connected to chance. It is often used in contexts where unexpected events play an important role: scientific discoveries, creative ideas, business meetings, travel, or even romantic encounters. In older or more careful use, fortuitous can simply mean "happening by chance," without any positive meaning, but many learners will most often meet it in clearly positive contexts.

So, if something good happens unexpectedly and you want to stress that it was accidental as well as helpful, "fortuitous" is a strong word to use. It captures those chance moments that end up changing things for the better.