without advance planning
"they met accidentally"
of a minor or subordinate nature
"these magnificent achievements were only incidentally influenced by Oriental models"
without intention; in an unintentional manner
"she hit him unintentionally"
In an accidental manner; by chance, unexpectedly.
"I accidentally spilled my coffee on my shirt while rushing to catch the bus."
In plain English: Accidentally means something happened by mistake without you trying to make it happen.
"I accidentally dropped my cup while reaching for the salt shaker."
Usage: Use this adverb to modify verbs indicating actions that occurred without intent, such as "I accidentally deleted the file." Avoid using it with stative verbs like "know" or "believe," which describe states rather than events.
This word comes from the adjective "accidental," which is derived from Latin accidentalis, meaning "pertaining to an accident." The suffix "-ly" was then added to form the adverb.