incidental

[ in-si-den-tl ]
See synonyms for incidental on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. happening or likely to happen in an unplanned or subordinate conjunction with something else.

  2. incurred casually and in addition to the regular or main amount: incidental expenses.

  1. likely to happen or naturally appertaining (usually followed by to).

noun
  1. something incidental, as a circumstance.

  2. incidentals, minor expenses.

Origin of incidental

1
First recorded in 1610–20; incident + -al1

Other words for incidental

Opposites for incidental

Other words from incidental

  • in·ci·den·tal·ness, noun
  • non·in·ci·den·tal, adjective
  • non·in·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
  • un·in·ci·den·tal, adjective
  • un·in·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with incidental

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for incidental

incidental

/ (ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl) /


adjective
  1. happening in connection with or resulting from something more important; casual or fortuitous

  2. (postpositive foll by to) found in connection (with); related (to)

  1. (postpositive foll by upon) caused (by)

  2. occasional or minor: incidental expenses

noun
  1. (often plural) an incidental or minor expense, event, or action

Derived forms of incidental

  • incidentalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012