the part of grammar that deals with the inflections of words (= changes in their form according to their function in the sentence) 语法中处理单词变形的部分 Word Originearly 16th cent.: from late Latin accidentia (translation of Greek parepomena ‘things happening alongside’), neuter plural of the present participle of accidere ‘happen’ from ad- ‘towards, to’ + cadere ‘to fall’.