accident of birth

noun phrase

: a quality or property due to the circumstances of one's birth
His wealth is a mere accident of birth because he came from a wealthy family.

Examples of accident of birth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This would require imagining a new Rwanda that transcended ethnic differences, in which individual endowment, lofty dreams, hard work, and a bit of luck determined one’s fate rather than the accident of birth. Jonathan M. Hansen, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024 Her accident of birth sent so many questions spinning into the air. Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accident of birth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near accident of birth

Cite this Entry

“Accident of birth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accident%20of%20birth. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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