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Origin and history of incidental

incidental(adj.)

"casual, occurring casually in connection with something else; of minor importance," 1640s, from Medieval Latin incidentalis, from incidens (see incident (n.)). The earlier adjective in this sense was incident (1520s). Incidentals (n.) "'occasional' expenses, etc.," is attested by 1707. Incidental music "background music," originally in operas, is from 1812.

also from 1640s

Entries linking to incidental

incident(n.)

early 15c., "something which occurs casually in connection with something else," from Old French incident (13c.), and directly from Latin incidentem (nominative incidens), present participle of incidere "to fall in, fall, find the way; light upon, fall in with; fall upon, occur; happen, befall," from in- "on" (from PIE root *en "in") + -cidere, combining form of cadere "to fall" (from PIE root *kad- "to fall"). Broader sense of "an occurrence viewed as a separate circumstance" is from mid-15c. Euphemistic meaning "event that might trigger a crisis or political unrest" first attested 1913.

incidentally(adv.)

1520s, "by the way, casually;" see incidental + -ly (2). Sense of "as a new but related point" attested by 1925.

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    consequent
    early 15c., "conclusive, logical," also "following as an effect or result," from Old French consequent "following, resulting" and directly from Latin consequentem (nominative consequens) "following, consequent," present participle of consequi "to follow after," from assimilated f
    concomitant
    "accompanying, conjoined with, concurrent, going together," c. 1600, from French concomitant, from Late Latin concomitantem (nominative concomitans), present participle of concomitari "accompany, attend," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + comitari "join a
    collateral
    late 14c., "accompanying, attendant" (especially as an auxiliary), also "descended from the same stock but in a different line" (distinguished from lineal), from Old French collateral (13c.), from Medieval Latin collateralis "accompanying," literally "side by side," from assimila
    perquisite
    The general meaning "any incidental profit, gain, or fee on top of regular wages" is by 1560s....
    casualty
    early 15c., casuelte, caswelte, "chance, accident; incidental charge," from casual (adj.) on the model of royalty, penalty...
    accidence
    late 14c., in philosophy, "non-essential or incidental characteristic," also "part of grammar dealing with inflection" (mid...
    coincidence
    Meaning "a concurrence of events with no apparent connection, accidental or incidental agreement" is from 1680s, perhaps...
    expense
    also formerly expence, late 14c., "action of spending or giving away, a laying out or expending," also "funds provided for expenses, expense money; damage or loss from any cause," from Anglo-French expense, Old French espense "money provided for expenses," from Late Latin expensa
    pinot
    type of grape vine used in wine-making, 1912, American English variant spelling of French pineau (attested in English from 1763), name of a family of wine grapes, from pin "pine tree" (see pine (n.)) + diminutive suffix -eau. So called from the shape of the grape clusters. Varian
    point
    c. 1200, pointe, "minute amount, single item in a whole; sharp end of a sword, etc.," a merger of two words, both ultimately from Latin pungere "to prick, pierce," from a nasalized form of PIE root *peuk- "to prick." The Latin neuter past participle punctum was used as a noun, me

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