incumbent

[in-kuhm-buh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incumbent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

holding an indicated position, role, office, etc., currently: the incumbent officers of the club.

obligatory (often followed by on or upon): a duty incumbent upon me.

Archaic. resting, lying, leaning, or pressing on something: incumbent upon the cool grass.

noun

the holder of an office: The incumbent was challenged by a fusion candidate.

British. a person who holds an ecclesiastical benefice.

Origin of incumbent

1375–1425; late Middle English (noun) < Latin incumbent- (stem of incumbēns present participle of incumbere to lie or lean upon, equivalent to in- in-² + cumb- (nasalized variant of cub- sit, lie; see incubus) + -ent- -ent

Related formsin·cum·bent·ly, adverban·ti-in·cum·bent, adjective, nounnon·in·cum·bent, noun, adjective

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

Related Words for incumbent

occupant, necessary, binding, official, compelling, urgent

Examples from the Web for incumbent

Contemporary Examples of incumbent

Twelve incumbent governors who publicly support Common Core easily won re-election.
Why Voters Love Common Core
Harold Ford Jr.
November 28, 2014
When Democratic incumbent Rep. Jim Matheson opted not to run again, Love won by several thousand votes in the 2014 midterms.
The Republican Rainbow Coalition Is Real
Tim Mak
November 18, 2014
Actually, Brown lost the Senate race to Democrat incumbent Jean Shaheen because Scott once posed nude for Cosmo.
The GOP Senate: A New Utopia Dawns
P. J. O’Rourke
November 8, 2014
The Democratic incumbent was doing fine with local issues until her opponent used the ISIS beheadings to turn the tide.
Kay Hagan's North Carolina Crash
Patricia Murphy
November 5, 2014
In Illinois, embattled Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn lost his bid for re-election against Bruce Rauner.
GOP Shocks Democrats in Governor Races
Ben Jacobs
November 5, 2014

Historical Examples of incumbent

It was incumbent upon Mr. Gladstone to lead the opposition to this motion.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
Fanny did not see that; but felt it incumbent on her to continue talking. '
Little Dorrit
Charles Dickens
The very utmost he can do is no more than is incumbent upon him.
Old-Fashioned Ethics and Common-Sense Metaphysics
William Thomas Thornton
It could not, then, be incumbent on her to let her life be taken in payment.
Old-Fashioned Ethics and Common-Sense Metaphysics
William Thomas Thornton
Every man, woman, and child, thinks it incumbent on them to sport a mourning face.
Arthur O'Leary
Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for incumbent

incumbent

adjective

formal (often postpositive and foll by on or upon and an infinitive) morally binding or necessary; obligatoryit is incumbent on me to attend

(usually postpositive and foll by on) resting or lying (on)

noun

a person who holds an office, esp a clergyman holding a benefice

Derived Formsincumbently, adverb

Word Origin for incumbent

C16: from Latin incumbere to lie upon, devote one's attention to, from in- ² + -cumbere, related to Latin cubāre to lie down

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 incumbent

early 15c., "person holding a church position," from Medieval Latin incumbentem (nominative incumbens) "holder of a church position," noun use of present participle of incumbere "to obtain or possess," from Latin incumbere "recline on," figuratively "apply oneself to," from in- "on" (see in- (2)) + -cumbere "lie down," related to cubare "to lie" (see cubicle). Extended to holders of any office from 1670s.

adj.

1560s, in relation to duties or obligations, from Latin incumbentem (nominative incumbens), present participle of incumbere (see incumbent (n.)). The literal, physical sense is rare in English and first attested 1620s.

incumbent in Culture

incumbent

[(in-kum-buhnt)]

One who holds a public office. By virtue of their experience in office, their exposure to the public, and their ability to raise campaign funds, incumbents usually have a significant advantage over opponents if they choose to run for reelection.