Definition of occasional cause
1a
: a mental state (as desire or decision) considered as the occasion but not the real cause of a physical phenomenon (as bodily behavior)
b
: a physical phenomenon considered similarly as the occasion of a mental state — compare occasionalism
2
: a circumstance that precedes an effect and that without being the real cause is the occasion of its action
Test Your Vocabulary
The Great British Vocabulary Quiz
-
- Named after Sir Robert Peel, what are British police called?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share occasional cause