incidentally

Incidentally is an adverb with two main senses. First, it means by chance or as a matter of happenstance. In this use, it often introduces information that is not central to the main topic but is related or noteworthy: for example, “The author, incidentally, is also a painter.” Second, it signals a digression or aside, similar to “by the way” or “as a side note”: “Incidentally, I forgot to mention the meeting was moved.”

Etymology and related forms: incidentally derives from the noun incident, which comes from Latin incidere, meaning to fall upon or occur. The adjective incidental describes something secondary or nonessential, as in “incidental music” or “incidental findings” in medicine. Related terms include coincidentally (happening at the same time by chance) and accidentally (by chance or unintended).

Usage notes: incidentally is typically used in informal or semi-formal writing and speech. In formal writing, it should be used sparingly, especially when introducing a digression, to avoid disrupting the main line of argument. It is distinct from accidentally, which conveys a lack of intention, and from coincidentally, which emphasizes multiple events occurring simultaneously by chance.

Examples:

- “Incidentally, the conference venue has moved to a larger hall.”

- “The study found a correlation; incidentally, participants who exercised reported better mood.”

- “She, incidentally, is fluent in three languages.”

In summary, incidentally serves as a versatile adverb for chance or for signaling a parenthetical remark, linguistically related to but distinct from incidental as an adjective.