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incumbent

in·cum·bent

UK/ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/ US/ɪŋ-/ uncommon obsolete

noun

1.

the official who holds an office

Synonyms

adjective

1.

lying or leaning on something else

  • “an incumbent geological formation”
2.

currently holding an office

  • “the incumbent governor”
Similar

Origin

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.

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.