accidence

9.9

Part of grammar about how words change for tense, number or case

noun
/ˈæk.sɪ.dəns/

Specialized

: accidencia

The textbook devotes an entire chapter to accidence, covering verb conjugations and noun declensions.

Examples

In linguistics, accidence includes verb conjugations and noun declensions.
Traditional grammar courses distinguish between accidence and syntax as separate areas of study.
Students often struggle with the accidence of irregular verbs when learning new languages.
The study of accidence is essential for understanding grammar.
The textbook devotes an entire chapter to accidence, covering verb conjugations and noun declensions.
Students often struggle with the accidence of irregular verbs when learning new languages.
Traditional grammar courses distinguish between accidence and syntax as separate areas of study.

Synonyms

inflectional morphology

vsaccidence

Specialized

9.3

The way word endings change to show tense, number, or case

refers to a component of grammar rather than an academic branch

Surface Forms

accidence singular

accidences plural

Morphology

accidence = accid + ence

Although formed from a Latin combining form + the suffix -ence, the elements are not recognizable productive English morphemes for most learners, so the meaning 'inflectional grammar' is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

The word accidence comes from a Latin word meaning 'a happening' and from accidere 'to fall to', from ad- 'to' and cadere 'to fall'. So accidence is the part of grammar about the small changes that 'fall' on words, like endings for tense, number, or case.