INCIDENTAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does incidental mean? 

• INCIDENTAL (noun)
  The noun INCIDENTAL has 2 senses:

1. (frequently plural) an expense not budgeted or not specified

2. an item that is incidental

  Familiarity information: INCIDENTAL used as a noun is rare.

• INCIDENTAL (adjective)
  The adjective INCIDENTAL has 3 senses:

1. (sometimes followed by 'to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or consequence

2. not of prime or central importance

3. occurring with or following as a consequence

  Familiarity information: INCIDENTAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INCIDENTAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(frequently plural) an expense not budgeted or not specified

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

incidental; incidental expense; minor expense

Context example:

he requested reimbursement of $7 for incidental expenses

Hypernyms ("incidental" is a kind of...):

expense (money spent to perform work and usually reimbursed by an employer)

Domain usage:

plural; plural form (the form of a word that is used to denote more than one)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An item that is incidental

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("incidental" is a kind of...):

item; point (a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list)

• INCIDENTAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(sometimes followed by 'to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or consequence

Synonyms:

incident; incidental

Context example:

confusion incidental to a quick change

Similar:

omissible (capable of being left out)

parenthetic; parenthetical (qualifying or explaining; placed or as if placed in parentheses)

peripheral (related to the key issue but not of central importance)

secondary (depending on or incidental to what is original or primary)

Antonym:

basic (pertaining to or constituting a base or basis)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not of prime or central importance

Synonyms:

accidental; incidental; nonessential

Context example:

the character's motives remain accidental to the plot

Similar:

inessential; unessential (not basic or fundamental)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Occurring with or following as a consequence

Synonyms:

accompanying; attendant; collateral; concomitant; consequent; ensuant; incidental; resultant; sequent

Context example:

collateral target damage from a bombing run

Similar:

subsequent (following in time or order)

 Context examples 

It is usually discovered as an incidental finding.

(Fallopian Tube Adenomatoid Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

Accessory, accompanying especially in a subordinate or incidental way, occurring or existing during the same period of time.

(Concomitant, NCI Thesaurus)

In the vast majority of cases, it is an incidental finding during microscopic examination of a fallopian tube that was removed for sterilization purposes in the postpartum period.

(Fallopian Tube Metaplastic Papillary Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

Usually lung adenocarcinoma is asymptomatic and is identified through screening studies or as an incidental radiologic finding.

(Lung Adenocarcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

It is usually an incidental finding of no real clinical significance.

(Pineal Gland Cyst, NCI Thesaurus)

The occurrence of the pain, whether it is incidental or continuous.

(Pain Nature, NCI Thesaurus)

That stuff had been merely incidental.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Benign lesions are usually asymptomatic and discovered as incidental findings.

(Chondrogenic Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

“My dear Copperfield,” said Mr. Micawber, “yourself and Mr. Traddles find us on the brink of migration, and will excuse any little discomforts incidental to that position.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Having gathered these facts, Watson, I smoked several pipes over them, trying to separate those which were crucial from others which were merely incidental.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)