Felicitous
Adjective
- Well chosen or suited to the circumstances.
- Pleasing and fortunate.
Example Sentences
“It was a felicitous decision to bring an umbrella, as it rained all afternoon after a sunny morning.”
“The rain on their wedding day ended up being felicitous, as it made for a cozy indoor ceremony.”
“The casting director made a felicitous choice in selecting the unknown actor for the leading role.”
Word Origin
English, mid-17th century
Why this word?
This word developed from “felicity,” which comes from the Latin root “felic-,” meaning “happy.” While the adjective “felicitous” today can describe something that turns out to be a lucky or opportune occurrence, it’s rooted in the sense that it makes someone happy. To be a truly felicitous occurrence, it should be lucky and make someone happy — such as finding your lost set of keys in time to make a friend’s surprise birthday party. Can you have a lucky day that doesn’t make you happy? Maybe you get a surprise flight upgrade, but your traveling partner is still stuck in coach. That might not be a felicitous occasion, but we’ll let you be the judge.
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