incumbent

[ in-kuhm-buhnt ]
See synonyms for incumbent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. holding an indicated position, role, office, etc., currently: the incumbent officers of the club.

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

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

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

  2. British. a person who holds an ecclesiastical benefice.

Origin of incumbent

1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (noun), from Latin incumbent-, stem of incumbēns “lying upon,” present participle of incumbere “to lie or lean upon,” equivalent to in- in-2 + -cumbere (variant combining form of cubāre “to lie down”; see cubicle)

Other words from incumbent

  • in·cum·bent·ly, adverb
  • an·ti-in·cum·bent, adjective, noun
  • non·in·cum·bent, noun, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use incumbent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for incumbent

incumbent

/ (ɪnˈkʌmbənt) /


adjective
  1. formal (often postpositive and foll by on or upon and an infinitive) morally binding or necessary; obligatory: it is incumbent on me to attend

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

noun
  1. a person who holds an office, esp a clergyman holding a benefice

Origin of incumbent

1
C16: from Latin incumbere to lie upon, devote one's attention to, from in- ² + -cumbere, related to Latin cubāre to lie down

Derived forms of incumbent

  • incumbently, adverb

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

Cultural definitions for incumbent

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.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.