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Incident vs Incidentally - What's the difference?

incident | incidentally |

As a noun incident

is an event or occurrence.

As an adjective incident

is arising as the result of an event, inherent.

As an adverb incidentally is

(manner) in an incidental manner; not of central or critical importance.

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.

    • incidentally

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (manner) In an incidental manner; not of central or critical importance.
    • The book discussed the subject, but only incidentally .
  • By chance; in an unplanned way.
  • (speech act, conjunctive) Parenthetically, by the way.
    • Incidentally , did you hear anything new from your brother yesterday?

    Synonyms

    apropos, as a matter of fact, by the way

    Antonyms

    * (in an incidental manner) inevitably, certainly