inadvertent

Back-formation from inadvertence and inadvertency.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɪnədˈvɜːtn̩t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌɪnədˈvɝtn̩t/
• Hyphenation: in‧ad‧ver‧tent

• Audio (US)

  (file)

inadvertent (not comparable)

1. Not intentional; not on purpose; not conscious.

   We check everything because an inadvertent error could be disastrous.

2. (obsolete) Inattentive.
   • 1712 October 8, Addison, Joseph, The Spectator, number 504, page 119:

     The Sharpers about Town very ingeniously understood themselves to be the undesigning Part of Mankind what Foxes are to Lambs, and therefore used the Word Biting to express any Exploit wherein they had over-reach'd any innocent and inadvertent Man of his Purse.

• (not intentional): designless, unintended, accidental; see also Thesaurus:unintentional
• (inattentive): absent-minded, distracted

• advert
• inadvertently
• advertent

From French inadvertant.

inadvertent m or n (feminine singular inadvertentă, masculine plural inadvertenți, feminine and neuter plural inadvertente)

1. inadvertent