incident

[in-si-duhnt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incident ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an individual occurrence or event.

a distinct piece of action, or an episode, as in a story or play.

something that occurs casually in connection with something else.

something appertaining or attaching to something else.

an occurrence of seemingly minor importance, especially involving nations or factions between which relations are strained and sensitive, that can lead to serious consequences, as an outbreak of hostilities or a war: border incident; international incident.

an embarrassing occurrence, especially of a social nature.

adjective

likely or apt to happen (usually followed by to).

naturally appertaining: hardships incident to the life of an explorer.

conjoined or attaching, especially as subordinate to a principal thing.

falling or striking on something, as light rays.

Origin of incident

1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French < Medieval Latin incident- (stem of incidēns a happening, noun use of present participle of Latin incidere to befall), equivalent to Latin in- in-² + -cid- (combining form of cad- fall) + -ent- -ent; cf. cadence

Related formsin·ci·dent·less, adjectivenon·in·ci·dent, noun, adjective

Can be confusedincidence incidents incidental

Synonyms for incident

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incident ON THESAURUS.COM

1. happening. See event.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for incident

episode, circumstance, scene, matter, event, fact, occasion, adventure, milestone, happening, trip

Examples from the Web for incident

Contemporary Examples of incident

The “crying” incident is thought to have hurt Muskie in the primary--which he won handily, but with under 50 percent of the vote.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz
Jeff Greenfield
December 31, 2014
“I guess it was their first incident where they lose a plane,” said Dobersberger, the travel agent.
The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370
Lennox Samuels
December 29, 2014
The incident sparked his belief in Santa, but he would have to wait nearly two decades before dressing up as Jolly St. Nick.
Kerry Bentivolio: The Congressman Who Believes in Santa Claus
Ben Jacobs
December 24, 2014
The actor recalls an incident when his daughter was younger.
Jamie Foxx: Get Over the Black ‘Annie’
Stereo Williams
December 20, 2014
But then somebody posted on YouTube a video of the incident, one that actually helps the police.
Protesters Slimed This Good Samaritan Cop
Michael Daly
December 16, 2014

Historical Examples of incident

It is not necessary to dwell on every incident of this terrible journey.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
As we have seen, he cannot keep the incident out of his plays.
The Man Shakespeare
Frank Harris
Shakespeare should never have used this incident; it is a blot on his conception.
The Man Shakespeare
Frank Harris
Small as the incident was, it marked a change in Sidney's position in the ward.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Miss Bartlett was pleased to look upon this incident as funny.
In the Midst of Alarms
Robert Barr

British Dictionary definitions for incident

incident

noun

a distinct or definite occurrence; event

a minor, subsidiary, or related event or action

a relatively insignificant event that might have serious consequences, esp in international politics

a public disturbancethe police had reports of an incident outside a pub

the occurrence of something interesting or excitingthe trip was not without incident

adjective

(postpositive foll by to) related (to) or dependent (on)

(when postpositive, often foll by to) having a subsidiary or minor relationship (with)

(esp of a beam of light or particles) arriving at or striking a surfaceincident electrons

Word Origin for incident

C15: from Medieval Latin incidens an event, from Latin incidere, literally: to fall into, hence befall, happen, from in- ² + cadere to fall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for incident

early 15c., "something which occurs casually in connection with something else," from Middle French incident and directly from Latin incidentem (nominative incidens), present participle of incidere "happen, befall," from in- "on" + -cidere, comb. form of cadere "to fall" (see case (n.1)). Sense of "an occurrence viewed as a separate circumstance" is from mid-15c. Meaning "event that might trigger a crisis or political unrest" first attested 1913.

adj.

"conducive (to), contributing (to)," early 15c., from Middle French incident (adj.) or directly from Latin incidens, present participle of incidere (see incident (n.)).