incident

/ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/

//ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incident" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incident” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,795 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,795
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An event or occurrence.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

incident vs indigent
75% similar
incident vs incidents
89% similar
incident vs incidental
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for incident
PropertyValue
Headwordincident
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#2,795
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incident” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). incident lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for incident is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,795 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for incident, with forms such as "icnident", "inccident", and "incdient". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "indigent", "incidents", "incidental", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded since 1412, from Middle French incident, from Latin incidens, the present active participle of incidō (“to happen, befall”), itself from in- (“on”) + -cidō, the combining form of cadō (“to fall”). The correct English form is incident, spelled I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An event or occurrence.
  2. 2
    A (relatively minor) event that is incidental to, or related to others.
  3. 3
    An event that causes or may cause an interruption or a crisis, such as a workplace illness or a software error.
  4. 4
    An event that causes or may cause an interruption or a crisis, such as a workplace illness or a software error.

Etymology

Recorded since 1412, from Middle French incident, from Latin incidens, the present active participle of incidō (“to happen, befall”), itself from in- (“on”) + -cidō, the combining form of cadō (“to fall”).

This word in other languages

incidente(Español)incident(Français)Vorfall(Deutsch)incidente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: icnident,inccident,incdient,inciddent,incidennt,incidentt,incidetn,incidnet,inciednt,inicdent,inncident,nicident

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incident - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

icnident2inccident1incdient2inciddent1incidennt1incidentt1incidetn2incidnet2
Edit distance from "incident"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incident"?
"incident" is spelled I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/.
What does "incident" mean?
As a noun, "incident" means: An event or occurrence.
What words are commonly confused with "incident"?
"incident" is commonly confused with "indigent", "incidents", "incidental". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "incident"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incident" is /ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incident"?
Recorded since 1412, from Middle French incident, from Latin incidens, the present active participle of incidō (“to happen, befall”), itself from in- (“on”) + -cidō, the combining form of cadō (“to fall”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “incident”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɪn.sɪ.dənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “indigent” - see the side-by-side comparison. incident vs indigent
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list