Pronunciation: [ɪnkˈʌmbənt] (IPA) 
The word "incumbent" is spelled with the vowel sound "uh" as in "up," followed by the nasal consonant sound "m" and the consonant sound "b" as in "bat." The final syllable is spelled with the vowel sound "eh" as in "head" and the consonant sound "nt." The IPA transcription of "incumbent" is /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/. This word is commonly used to refer to individuals who currently hold a certain position, such as an incumbent president or CEO.
Incumbent, as a noun, refers to a person who currently holds a specific position, role, or office, particularly in politics. The term is commonly used in the context of elections and refers to the current officeholder who is seeking reelection or who is running for another term. The incumbent is the individual who currently occupies the position and has the advantage of already holding office. They are often seen as the established or current authority in the role, responsible for executing the duties associated with the position.
As an adjective, incumbent describes something that is required, necessary, or obligatory. It refers to an obligation, duty, or responsibility that is imposed or expected. This adjective usage typically describes a requirement that arises from a specific situation, circumstance, or role. For example, an incumbent duty might refer to the responsibilities and obligations attached to holding a particular office, while an incumbent requirement might describe qualifications necessary for a job or position. In this sense, incumbent emphasizes the necessity or essential nature of something in a given context.
Overall, incumbent as a noun refers to the current officeholder or person running for reelection, while as an adjective, it denotes something as obligatory or necessary within a specific role or context.
• One who holds an office.
• Lying or resting on, as a duty or obligation; indispensable; in bot, applied to cotyledons with the radicle on their back.
• The person who is in the possession of an office, as of an ecclesiastical benefice.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "incumbent" originates from the Latin term "incumbentem", which is the present participle of the verb "incumbere". "Incumbere" is composed of two elements: "in", meaning "on" or "upon", and "cumbere", meaning "to lie down" or "to rest". Therefore, "incumbent" initially meant "to lie down upon" or "to lay a burden upon". Over time, it evolved to refer to a person who holds a particular office or position at present, often due to being currently in office or occupying an existing position.
