DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

incidental

[ in-si-den-tl ]
/ ˌɪn sɪˈdɛn tl /

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.

Words nearby incidental

inchon, inchworm, incidence, incident, incident point, incidental, incidental music, incidental parasite, incidentally, incidentaloma, incienso

Origin of incidental

First recorded in 1610–20; incident + -al1

SYNONYMS FOR incidental

1 casual, chance, fortuitous; contingent.

ANTONYMS FOR incidental

1 fundamental.

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. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for nonincidental

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