chance
/tʃæns/
noun
Origin
Latin
cadere — to fall
Overview
Meaning Now
- A possibility of something happening; an occurrence of events in the absence of any obvious intention or cause.
- A moment of opportunity or a favorable occasion.
Literal older meaning
falling
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
chaunce
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The concept of 'chance' derives from the metaphor of dice or objects 'falling' a certain way. This sense of randomness was strongly tied to medieval views of Fortune, often depicted as a wheel where one's status could rise or fall based on external forces rather than merit.
Evolution
- Latin
cadentia
“a falling”
Derived from the present participle of cadere.
- Old French
cheance
“what falls out, luck”
Shift from abstract 'falling' to 'outcome'.
- Middle English
chaunce
“occurrence, fortune”
Adopted into Middle English via Norman French.
- English
chance
“probability, opportunity”
Stabilized modern spelling and usage.
Connections
Word parts
chance
root
to fall
Related across languages
French
luck
Spanish
cadencia
cadence
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.