Origin: Latin suffix -ence
Occurrence has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
an event that happens
"The sudden occurrence of thunder startled everyone in the park."
an instance of something occurring
"a disease of frequent occurrence"
"the occurrence (or presence) of life on other planets"
An actual instance when a situation occurs; an event or happening.
"The unexpected occurrence of rain ruined our outdoor picnic plans."
In plain English: An occurrence is simply something that happens, whether it's big news or just a small event you notice while going about your day.
"The sudden occurrence of rain caught us by surprise while we were walking outside."
Usage: Use occurrence to refer specifically to the single act of something happening, rather than using it as a synonym for general events like incidents or accidents which often imply negative outcomes. It is commonly found in formal contexts such as "the frequency of occurrences" when discussing how often an event takes place.
The word comes from the Old French term ocurrence, which was borrowed into English via medieval Latin. It originally described something that happens or takes place, reflecting its root meaning of "coming forth."