Dictionary.com

incidental

[ in-si-den-tl ]
/ ˌɪn sɪˈdɛn tl /
See synonyms for: incidental / incidentals on Thesaurus.com

adjective

happening or likely to happen in an unplanned or subordinate conjunction with something else.
incurred casually and in addition to the regular or main amount: incidental expenses.
likely to happen or naturally appertaining (usually followed by to).

noun

something incidental, as a circumstance.
incidentals, minor expenses.

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Origin of incidental

First recorded in 1610–20; incident + -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM incidental

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH incidental

incidence, incidents, incidental
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to incidental

accidental, random, ancillary, coincidental, casual, secondary, concomitant, contingent, irregular, chance, fluke, subsidiary, subordinate, attendant, nonessential, accompanying, adventitious, circumstantial, concurrent, fortuitous

Example sentences from the Web for incidental

British Dictionary definitions for incidental

incidental
/ (ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl) /

adjective

happening in connection with or resulting from something more important; casual or fortuitous
(postpositive foll by to) found in connection (with); related (to)
(postpositive foll by upon) caused (by)
occasional or minorincidental expenses

noun

(often plural) an incidental or minor expense, event, or action

Derived forms of incidental

incidentalness, noun
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