accident of birth



Like this video? Subscribe to our free daily email and get a new idiom video every day!

accident of birth

Any and all particulars surrounding one's birth (physical characteristics, social background, and even nationality) that are considered a result of parentage and the specific circumstances of birth, and are therefore entirely out of one's control. My poverty when I was young was merely an accident of birth; through hard work and determination, I was able to overcome it and lead a successful life.
See also: accident, birth, of

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
FemkeFEM-kə (Dutch)Dutch, Frisian
Regula-German (Swiss), Late Roman
Paulu-Corsican
Nishat-Arabic, Bengali
HeinerHIE-nerGerman
Amandinea-mawn-DEENFrench