To happen to someone by fortune or fate; to befall.
From 'be-' plus 'fortune' (from Old French, ultimately from Latin 'fortuna'). This rare verb creates meaning through the productive 'be-' prefix: 'misfortune' plus 'be-' equals 'something befalls you by fortune.'
The 'be-' prefix initially caused verbs to mean 'to cause to be' or 'to happen to,' which is why 'befall' and 'befortune' share this sense of fate happening TO you rather than you actively doing something.
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