hapchance

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hapchance

/ˈhapˌtʃɑːns/ UK
/ˈhæpˌtʃæn(t)s/ US

Where it comes from

hap (“luck, fortune, chance”) + chance (“chance, fortune”): a tautological compound, in which both elements independently mean “chance”. Compare the similarly redundant haphazard (hap + hazard), and the synonymous happenchance and happenstance. Recorded from 1866, but attested chiefly in literary prose of the 20th century.

noun hapchances · hap-chance

literary, rare, uncountable Chance, luck, fortune; the random or unplanned quality of an event. (frequently in by hapchance) For the next few minutes he rather neglected the game, the countess absorbing his entire regard. For, by hapchance, the 25 won for her; and, as she took the thirty-five sovereigns, the woman's color deepened, her lips parted, her eyes glowed, and for the moment she looked radiantly happy.
Similar: chance, hap, happenchance, happenstance, luck
countable, literary, rare A chance occurrence; an accident, a coincidence. […]and yet content to dote upon a line, or the hapchance of a sounding word.
Similar: fluke, happenchance, happenstance

adjective hap-chance

literary, not comparable, rare Happening or met with by chance; chance, casual, random, haphazard. He was close upon the farther end when—upon a hapchance impulse—he glanced over the nearest guard-rail, down at the bed of the creek.
Similar: adventitious, casual, chance, fortuitous, haphazard, random

adverb hap-chance

literary, not comparable, rare By chance; at random; haphazardly. As it happened, the thing worked with disconcerting abruptness as his untrained fingers fell hapchance on the spring.
Similar: by chance, haphazardly, haply, perchance

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MLA

"hapchance." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hapchance. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

hapchance. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hapchance

Chicago

"hapchance." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hapchance.

BibTeX

@misc{hapchance_2026,
  title = {hapchance},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hapchance},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}