Coincidence
/koʊˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/noun
A remarkable or unexpected occurrence of events or circumstances that happen at the same time.
Did you know?Coincidence comes through French from Latin *coincidere*, literally “to fall together,” built from *com-* “together” + *incidere* “to fall upon,” so the word began as a physical image before becoming a name for fate-like synchronicity.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
coincidere
“to fall together; to coincide”
Late Latin
Latin
coincidentia
“a falling together; concurrence”
14th Century
Old French
coincidence
“agreement or correspondence”
17th Century
English
coincidence
“agreement or correspondence of events or circumstances”
Modern English
English
coincidence
“an unexpected concurrence of events or circumstances”