Question 1 · Quick check
incumbent
CEFRC1
/ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/
adjective · noun
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
adjective
Currently holding a particular official position.
- 02
noun
The person who currently holds an official position.
Examples
It is incumbent on you to do so.
The company was established in 1950 by the incumbent chairman.
At a glance
Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 2
- Citations
- 5
- Synonyms
- 1
Also pronounced
- /ɪnˈkʊmbən/
Deep Dive
adjective
Extra meaningsChiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.
Of an anther: lying on the inner side of the filament; also, of a cotyledon: having its back lying against the radicle.
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.
More examples
In contextIf the incumbent senator dies, he is replaced by a person appointed by the governor.
Proper behaviour is incumbent on all holders of positions of trust.
the incumbent toe of a bird
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.
Nearby
Origin
adjective
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-).