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Incidental vs Incident - What's the difference?

incidental | incident |

Incident is a derived term of incidental.

Incident is a related term of incidental.



As adjectives the difference between incidental and incident

is that incidental is loosely associated; existing as a byproduct, tangent, or accident while incident is arising as the result of an event, inherent.

As nouns the difference between incidental and incident

is that incidental is incidental expense while incident is an event or occurrence.

incidental

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Loosely associated; existing as a byproduct, tangent, or accident.
    • That character, though colorful, is incidental to the overall plot.
  • Entering or approaching, prior to reflection (more frequently incident).

    • Related terms

    * incident * incidence

    Derived terms

    * incidental expense * incidentally

    Synonyms

    *(existing as an accident) accidental, contingent

    Antonyms

    *(existing as an accident) inevitable, necessary, impossible

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Incidental expense.
    • She's costing us a lot in incidentals .

    Anagrams

    * ----

    incident

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An event or occurrence.
  • A relatively minor event that is incidental to, or related to others
  • An event that may cause or causes an interruption or a crisis
  • In safety, an incident of workplace illness or injury

    • Derived terms

    * incidental * aviation incident * coincident * incident room

    Related terms

    * accident * incidence * occident

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Arising as the result of an event, inherent
  • (physics) (of a stream of particles or radiation ) falling on or striking a surface (e.g. "The incident light illuminated the surface.")
  • Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
  • * Hooker
    • As the ordinary course of common affairs is disposed of by general laws, so likewise men's rarer incident necessities and utilities should be with special equity considered.
  • Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
  • * Milton
    • all chances incident to man's frail life
  • * Milward
    • the studies incident to his profession
  • (legal) Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.