incumbent
UK /ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/ · US /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/ adjective, noun
Forms incumbents
- adjective Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.
- adjective (botany) Of an anther: lying on the inner side of the filament; also, of a cotyledon: having its back lying against the radicle.
- adjective (zoology) Of a body part such as a hair, spine, or wing: bent downwards or otherwise positioned so that it, or part of it, rests on or touches something else; specifically (ornithology), of the hind toe of a bird: fully resting on a support. “the incumbent toe of a bird”
- adjective Being the current holder of an office or a title; specifically (Christianity, obsolete), of an ecclesiastical benefice. “If the incumbent senator dies, he is replaced by a person appointed by the governor.”
- adjective Oppressive, pressuring.
- adjective Followed by on or upon: imposed on one as an obligation, especially due to one's office or position. “Proper behaviour is incumbent on all holders of positions of trust.”
- adjective (poetic) Hanging or leaning over.
- adjective (obsolete) Putting much effort into an activity or some work.
- noun The current holder of an office or title; (specifically, Christianity) the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.
- noun (business) A holder of a position as supplier to a market or market segment that allows the holder to earn above-normal profits.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin incumbentem + English -ent (suffix denoting the causing, doing, or promoting of an action). Incumbentem is the accusative singular of incumbēns (“reclining”), the present active participle of incumbō (“to lay upon, to lean or recline on; to fall upon, to press down on”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘against; into; on, upon’) + *cumbō (“to lie down, recline”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb-).
From Middle English incumbent, encumbent (“holder of an ecclesiastical benefice, dean, parson, etc.; cleric (?)”), from Medieval Latin incumbēns (“holder of a church position”) + Middle English -ent (suffix denoting one that causes, does, or promotes an action). Incumbēns is derived from Medieval Latin incumbō (“to obtain; to possess”), from Latin incumbō (“to lay upon, to lean or recline on; to fall upon, to press down on”): see etymology 1.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Lying; resting; reclining; recumbent; superimposed; superincumbent.
- adjective Lying, resting, or imposed, as a duty or obligation; obligatory; always with on or upon.
- noun A person who is in present possession of a benefice or of any office.
Etymology [L. incumbens, -entis, p. pr. of incumbere to lie down upon, press upon; pref. in- in, on + cumbere (in comp.); akin to cubare to lie down. See Incubate.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “incumbent”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details