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Incident vs Happenstance - What's the difference?

incident | happenstance |

As nouns the difference between incident and happenstance

is that incident is an event or occurrence while happenstance is (countable) a chance or random event or circumstance.

As an adjective incident

is arising as the result of an event, inherent.

incident

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An event or occurrence.
  • A relatively minor event that is incidental to, or related to others
  • An event that may cause or causes an interruption or a crisis
  • In safety, an incident of workplace illness or injury
  • Derived terms

    * incidental * aviation incident * coincident * incident room

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Arising as the result of an event, inherent
  • (physics) (of a stream of particles or radiation ) falling on or striking a surface (e.g. "The incident light illuminated the surface.")
  • Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
  • * Hooker
  • As the ordinary course of common affairs is disposed of by general laws, so likewise men's rarer incident necessities and utilities should be with special equity considered.
  • Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
  • * Milton
  • all chances incident to man's frail life
  • * Milward
  • the studies incident to his profession
  • (legal) Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.
  • happenstance

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (countable) A chance or random event or circumstance.
  • (uncountable) The chance or random quality of an event or circumstance.
  • by happenstance
  • * 1964 , ,
  • James Bond: Once is happenstance , twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action.

    Synonyms

    * coincidence * happenchance

    Derived terms

    * happenstantial * happenstantially