per accidens

adverb

per ac·​ci·​dens

pəˈraksəˌdenz,

ˌpər‧ˈa-,

peˈra-

1

: by chance or extraneous circumstance : accidentally

he is not learned, except per accidens

—Walter Moberly

2

: in accidental or nonessential character

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!