incident
in·ci·dent/ˈɪnsɪdənt/noun, adjective
incident is spelled I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T: 8 letters and 3 syllables (in·ci·dent). It appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,785th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, incident means “An event or occurrence” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of incident is incidents.
How many letters and syllables are in incident?
| Letters | 8: I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: in·ci·dent |
| In writing | 35 times per million words; the 2,785th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is incident?
Incident appears 35 times per million words in written English, the 2,785th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce incident?
- /ˈɪnsɪdənt/
- [ˈɪnsɪdənt] ~ [ˈɪnsɪdn̩t]
Incident has 3 syllables, split in·ci·dent in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-incident.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of incident
- incidents plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does incident mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An event or occurrence.
She could not recall the time of the incident.
- 2
A (relatively minor) event that is incidental to, or related to others.
- 3
An event that causes or may cause an interruption or a crisis, such as a workplace illness or a software error.
- 4
An event affecting an aircraft, usually a plane crash.
adjective
- 1
Arising as the result of an event, inherent.
No major hazards incident to this job.
- 2
Falling on or striking a surface.
The incident light illuminated the surface.
- 3
Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
- 4
Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
17th century, Richard Milward, "Preface" to Seldeniana the studies incident to his profession
- 5
Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.
- 6
In a relation of incidence
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Incident in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | incident |
| German | Vorfall, Begebenheit, Ereignis, Geschehnis, Vorkommnis, Episode |
| Portuguese | incidente |
| Spanish | incidente , insuceso |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does incident come from?
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”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).