incumbent
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incumbent¹
- /ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/ UK
- /ɪŋ-/ UK
- /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/ US
- /ɪŋ-/ US
- /ɪnˈkʊmbən/
- /ɪŋ-/
Where it comes from
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-).
adjective more incumbent · most incumbent
-
Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.
[I]f the great Doore, be Arched, vvith ſome braue Head, cut in fine Stone or Marble for the Key of the Arch, and tvvo Incumbent Figures gracefully leaning vpon it, tovvards one another, as if they meant to conferre; I ſhould thinke this a ſufficient entertainement, for the firſt Reception, of any Iu
Similar: recumbent
-
Of an anther: lying on the inner side of the filament; also, of a cotyledon: having its back lying against the radicle.
[T]he anther either looks inwards or outwards. When it is turned inwards, or is fixed to that side of the filament which looks towards the pistil or centre of the flower, the anther is incumbent or intorse, as in Magnolia and the Water-Lily. When turned outwards, or fixed to the outer side of the fi
Similar: recumbent, notorhizal
-
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
Similar: recumbent
- 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.
- Oppressive, pressuring. The North muſt again have been alarmed, and agitated, by the invaſion of the Huns; and the nations vvho retreated before them, muſt have preſſed vvith incumbent vveight on the confines of Germany.
- 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.
- Hanging or leaning over. Hath the cleft Centre open'd vvide to Thee? / Death's inmoſt Chambers didſt Thou ever ſee? / E'er knock at his tremendous Gate, and vvade / To the black Portal thro' th' incumbent Shade?
- Putting much effort into an activity or some work. And lovve menne ſpiritually are ſuche, as are incumbente and dooe reſt on filthy or vile and tranſitory thynges.
- Weighing on one's mind. Ambition, and Covetouſneſſe are Paſſions alſo that are perpetually incumbent, and preſſing; vvhereas Reaſon is not perpetually preſent, to reſiſt them: and therefore vvhenſoever the hope of impunity appears, their effects proceed.
incumbent²
- /ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/ UK
- /ɪŋ-/ UK
- /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/ US
- /ɪŋ-/ US
- /ɪnˈkʊmbən/
- /ɪŋ-/
Where it comes from
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.
noun incumbents
-
The current holder of an office or title; (specifically, Christianity) the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.
He has always remained friendly to me, though before his promotion, when he was an incumbent of this diocese, we had a little controversy about the Bible Society.
Opposite: nonincumbent
-
A holder of a position as supplier to a market or market segment that allows the holder to earn above-normal profits.
American capitalism is becoming like its European cousin: established firms with the scale and scope to deal with a growing thicket of regulations are doing well, but new companies are withering on the vine or selling themselves to incumbents.
Opposite: nonincumbent
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: officeholder, superjacent, current, incumbency, appointee, acting, official, ownership, permittee, licensee, licensed, grantee, owner, possession, proprietor, duty
Translations
Every language
adj leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else
| Deutsch | abstützend, aufliegend, liegend, ruhend |
|---|
adj being the current holder of an office or a title
| Español | en ejercicio, en funciones, de turno |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 재임중인 jaeimjung'in |
| 中文 | 現任 /现任 xiànrèn |
| हिन्दी | पदस्थ padasth |
| Português | titular |
| Français | en titre, titulaire |
| Deutsch | amtierend |
| Italiano | in carica, titolare |
| Română | beneficiar, titular |
| Русский | де́йствующий déjstvujuščij |
| Tiếng Việt | đương nhiệm |
adj imposed on one as an obligation, especially due to one’s office or position
| Español | competente, obligatorio |
|---|---|
| Português | incumbente |
| Deutsch | obliegend, obligatorisch, Pflicht- |
| Italiano | obbligatorio |
| Română | impus, obligatoriu |
| Русский | возло́женный vozlóžennyj |
| العربية | شَاغِل šāḡil |
noun current holder of an office or title; holder of an ecclesiastical benefice
| Español | titular |
|---|---|
| Português | incumbente, titular |
| Français | titulaire |
| Deutsch | Amtsinhaber, Inhaber, Stelleninhaber |
| Italiano | beneficiario, in carica, titolare |
| Русский | занима́ющий до́лжность zanimájuščij dólžnostʹ, занима́ющий пост zanimájuščij post |
noun holder of a position as supplier to a market or market segment that allows the holder to earn above-normal profits
| Deutsch | Marktführer, Platzhirsch |
|---|---|
| Русский | устоя́вшийся игро́к ustojávšijsja igrók |
Talk about this word "incumbent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/incumbent. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. incumbent. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/incumbent "incumbent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/incumbent.Cite this
@misc{incumbent_2026,
title = {incumbent},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/incumbent},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
