Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fortuitous” come from?

Fortuitous comes from Latin fortuitus, derived from Latin fors meaning "chance" or "luck," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning "to carry" or "bear."

fortuitous (English): Happening by chance; coincidental, accidental;...

Definitions

  1. Happening by chance; coincidental, accidental;...

Ancestry of “fortuitous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfortuitushappening by chance, accidental, random,...
2Latinforsluck, chance; perhaps, perchance
3Proto-Italicfortis—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰértisthe act of carrying, bearing
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

Words derived from “fortuitous”

  • fortuitously
  • fortuitousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →