Early 15c., “something which occurs casually in connection
with something else,” from Old French incident (13c.), and directly
from Latin incidentem (nominative incidens), present participle of incidere
“to fall in, fall, find the way; light upon, fall in with; fall upon, occur;
happen, befall”
– Etymology Online
To fall or befall, to occur or to happen. Infinitives
that may be used as a noun, an adjective, an adverb.
In and only of itself, an incident requires an act of
relation. Something against which it becomes possible
to say here it derives from, is a mere instance of. A minor thing.
An almost randomness. But what of taxonomic hierarchy?
Class, genus, species—steps for organizing living things
according to broadest, then broader, then more individual
categories. A species not a minor form of, but unique.
Not incident nor accident, this expression of life.
If something were mere incident, would it be assigned
nomenclature? The genus name, followed by the epithet.
A system for recording physical traits, provenance or
origin. Traits. Habits. Appearance. A body. A significance.