ad-

to, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

Forms

ad-
ac- — Used before c in Latin.
af- — Used before f in Latin.
ag- — Used before g in Latin.
al- — Used before l in Latin.
ap- — Used before p in Latin.
ar- — Used before r in Latin.
as- — Used before s in Latin.
at- — Used before t in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ad, ‘to; near.’

Note

Later Latin-based spellings sometimes restored consonants that had disappeared in French.

252 / 256

noun

misadventure

mis-uhd-VEN-chur/ˌmɪsədˈventʃər/

An unintended accident with an unfortunate outcome.

The torn grocery bag turns the man's trip into a misadventure of broken eggs.

A grocery bag unexpectedly tears open while a man carries it, dropping eggs and tomatoes onto the pavement in a small, clearly unfortunate mishap.

Etymology

misOld Frenchbadly or wrongly

+adLatinto, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

+ventureLatincome

The “coming to” image developed into something about to happen, then a chance occurrence or turn of fortune. Adding “badly” makes that occurrence an unlucky accident or mishap.

In context

TED9:39

catastrophe could arise simply from technical misadventure -- error rather than terror

Sir Martin Rees: Earth in its final century?

More examples

Her first cycling misadventure left her with a scraped knee.
We laugh now about the misadventures that ruined our camping trip.
A boating misadventure cost them their fishing gear.

Forms

misadventure · misadventures

Similar words

mishap: Usually suggests a minor accident rather than serious harm.
accident: Emphasizes lack of intention, without necessarily implying bad luck.
misfortune: Includes bad luck and hardship, not just accidental events.