1792, "habituate (something) to a new climate," from French acclimater, verb formed from à "to" (see ad-) + climat (see climate). Intransitive sense "adapt to a new climate" is from 1861. Related: Acclimated; acclimating. The extended form acclimatize is now more common in the older sense of this word (generally in reference to plants or animals), leaving to this word the intransitive sense, which more often refers to humans.
1540s, "act of shouting or applauding in approval," from Latin acclamationem (nominative acclamatio) "a calling, exclamation, shout of approval," noun of action from past-participle stem of acclamare "to call to, cry out at, shout approval or disapproval of," from assimilated form of ad "to, toward" (see ad-) + clamare "cry out" (from PIE root *kele- (2) "to shout"). As a method of spontaneous approval of resolutions, etc., by unanimous voice vote, by 1801, probably from the French Revolution.
early 14c., "to lay claim to," from Latin acclamare "to cry out at" (in Medieval Latin "to claim"), from ad "to, toward" (see ad-) + clamare "cry out" (from PIE root *kele- (2) "to shout"). The meaning "to applaud" is recorded by 1630s. The spelling has been conformed to claim. Related: Acclaimed; acclaiming; acclamatory.
raptorial bird, 1708, from Latin accipiter, a generic name for birds of prey, especially the common hawk. According to de Vaan, "generally assumed" to be from a Proto-Italic *aku-petri- "having pointed (that is, 'swift') wings" (see acro- + ptero-) and compares Greek okypteros "with swift wings," Sanskrit asu-patvan- "flying swiftly," "all of which are used as epithets to birds of prey." Under this theory the initial acc- is by influence of the verb accipere "to take" (whence also Latin acceptor "falcon;" see accept). Or the sense could be literal, "with pointed wings." The proper plural would be accipitres. Related: Accipitral; accipitrine (1809).
late 14c., "non-essential," from Old French accidentel or directly from Medieval Latin accidentalis, from Latin accidentem "an accident, chance" (see accident). Meaning "outside the normal course of nature" is from early 15c.; that of "coming by chance, unintentional" is from 1570s. Accidential (1811) sometimes serves now in the sense "characterized by non-essential qualities" and goes with accidence.
late 14c., "an occurrence, incident, event; what comes by chance," from Old French accident (12c.), from Latin accidentem (nominative accidens) "an occurrence; chance; misfortune," noun use of present participle of accidere "happen, fall out, fall upon," from ad "to" (see ad-) + combining form of cadere "to fall" (from PIE root *kad- "to fall"). The sense has had a tendency since Latin to extend from "something that happens, an event" to "a mishap, an undesirable event." Latin si quid cui accidat, "if anything should happen to one," was a euphemism for "if one should die." In Middle English the word is met usually in theology (in reference to the material qualities in the sacramental bread and wine), medicine ("something out of the ordinary, disease, injury"), or philosophy ("non-essential characteristic of a thing"). From late 15c. as "the operations of chance." Meaning "an unplanned child" is attested by 1932. Accident-prone is from 1926.
late 14c., in philosophy, "non-essential or incidental characteristic," also "part of grammar dealing with inflection" (mid-15c.), in some cases a misspelling of accidents, or else directly from Latin accidentia (used as a term in grammar by Quintilian), neuter plural of accidens, present participle of accidere "to happen, fall out; fall upon" (see accident). The grammar sense is because they are qualities which change in accordance with use (as gender, number, tense, case) but are not essential to the primary signification.
also accessary, early 15c., "that which is subordinate to something else," also as a legal term, "one aiding in a felony without committing the offense" (as by advising, inciting, concealing), from Late Latin accessorius, from Latin accessor, agent noun of accedere "to approach" (see accede).Strictly the noun (a person) should be accessary accessory Especially in the visual arts, "object introduced to balance composition or enhance artistic effect" (1540s). Attested from 1896 as "woman's smaller articles of dress;" hence accessorize. Related: Accessorial.