befalling

B3E1F4A1L1L1I1N1G2

noun

A happening; occurrence; chance; event.

Similar
affairepisodeinstanceeventgoings-onhappeninghapincident
OriginMiddle English bifallinge →
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Meanings

nounbefalling (plural befallings)

plural befallings

  1. A happening; occurrence; chance; event.

    Synonyms: affair, episode, instance, event, goings-on, happening, hap, incident

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of befall
adjectivebefalling (comparative more befalling, superlative most befalling)

comparative more befalling · superlative most befalling

  1. archaicAppertaining; appropriate; fitting.

    Bountie & largeſſe is befalling for kynges.

    1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Antigonus the Firste Kyng of the Macedonians”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […], London: […] Ihon Kingston, →OCLC, book II, folio 155, recto, paragraph 11, marginal note

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA happening; occurrence; chance; event.

Similar
affairepisodeinstanceeventgoings-onhappeninghapincidentoccasionoccurrenceproceedingaccidentchancecontingencycasualtyfortuity
Also see
accidentaffairepisodefortuitygoings-onhappeningincidentoccasionoccurrenceproceeding

Origin

  1. Middle Englishbifallinge
  2. Englishbefalling

From Middle English bifallinge, equivalent to befall + -ing. Cognate with Dutch bevalling (“delivery, labour”), Swedish befallning (“command, behest, charge”).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

befalling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befalling

MLA

“befalling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befalling. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “befalling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befalling.

Source: befalling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.