chance

Where does the word "chance" come from? It comes from Latin cadere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Chance’s story begins in Latin: cadere meant “to fall.” To fall, giving rise to cadentia (a falling). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cheance. The way dice fall, luck, from a form of cadentia (falling). It reached English by 1300s as chance. Settled as the English word for a possibility or opportunity, or luck. Today, chance means a possibility of something happening, or an opportunity.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient cadere "to fall", to fall, giving rise to cadentia (a falling).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cheance "the way dice fall, luck", the way dice fall, luck, from a form of cadentia (falling).
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s chance "a possibility of something happening, or luck", settled as the English word for a possibility or opportunity, or luck.