incidental

[in-si-den-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.

Origin of incidental

First recorded in 1610–20; incident + -al¹

Related formsin·ci·den·tal·ness, nounnon·in·ci·den·tal, adjectivenon·in·ci·den·tal·ly, adverbun·in·ci·den·tal, adjectiveun·in·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb

Can be confusedincidence incidents incidental

Synonyms for incidental

1. casual, chance, fortuitous; contingent.

Antonyms for incidental

1. fundamental.

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

British Dictionary definitions for nonincidental

incidental

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 Formsincidentalness, 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

Word Origin and History for nonincidental

incidental

adj.

"casual, occasional," 1610s, from Medieval Latin incidentalis, from incidens (see incident (n.)). Incidentals (n.) "'occasional' expenses, etc.," is attested by 1707.