INCIDENT
Dictionary entry overview: What does incident mean?
• INCIDENT (noun)
The noun INCIDENT has 2 senses:
1. a single distinct event
2. a public disturbance
Familiarity information: INCIDENT used as a noun is rare.
• INCIDENT (adjective)
The adjective INCIDENT has 2 senses:
1. falling or striking of light rays on something
2. (sometimes followed by 'to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or consequence
Familiarity information: INCIDENT used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• INCIDENT (noun)
Meaning:
A single distinct event
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Hypernyms ("incident" is a kind of...):
happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "incident"):
cause celebre (an incident that attracts great public attention)
contagion; infection; transmission (an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted)
scene (an incident (real or imaginary))
sideshow (a subordinate incident of little importance relative to the main event)
Holonyms ("incident" is a part of...):
episode (a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events)
Meaning:
A public disturbance
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Context example:
the police investigated an incident at the bus station
Hypernyms ("incident" is a kind of...):
commotion; disruption; disturbance; flutter; hoo-ha; hoo-hah; hurly burly; kerfuffle; to-do (a disorderly outburst or tumult)
• INCIDENT (adjective)
Meaning:
Falling or striking of light rays on something
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Context example:
incident light
Pertainym:
incidence (the striking of a light beam on a surface)
Meaning:
(sometimes followed by 'to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or consequence
Synonyms:
incidental; incident
Context examples:
incidental expenses / the road will bring other incidental advantages / extra duties incidental to the job / labor problems incidental to a rapid expansion / confusion incidental to a quick change
Similar:
omissible (capable of being left out)
parenthetic; parenthetical (qualifying or explaining; placed or as if placed in parentheses)
peripheral (related to the key issue but not of central importance)
secondary (depending on or incidental to what is original or primary)
