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incumbent

n. · adj.
US //ˌɪnˈkəmbənt// UK //ɪnkˈʌmbənt// in·cum·bent
  1. 1 current office holder (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the person who currently holds a particular job or official position.

    the current holder of an office or title, particularly in a political or ecclesiastical context.

    Example

    The incumbent president is expected to win the election easily.

    Example

    The incumbent faced a difficult challenge from a younger candidate who promised to overhaul the city's aging infrastructure.
  2. 2 market leader (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Business

    a company that already has a strong position in a market.

    a firm that has a dominant position in a market, often making it difficult for new competitors to enter.

    Example

    Small startups often struggle to compete with the large industry incumbents.

    Example

    The regulatory changes were designed to reduce the power of market incumbents and encourage innovation from smaller firms.
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  1. 3 necessary or obligatory (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    used to say that it is someone's duty or responsibility to do something.

    imposed as a duty or obligation; typically used with 'on' or 'upon'.

    Example

    It is incumbent on us to help those who are less fortunate.

    Example

    The judge stated that it was incumbent upon the prosecution to provide clear evidence of the defendant's intent.

    Usage

    Usually follows the pattern 'it is incumbent on/upon [someone] to [do something]'.
  2. 4 resting on something (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Literary Science

    leaning or resting on something else.

    lying, leaning, or resting on something else; in botany, describes an organ that rests against another.

    Example

    The heavy branches were incumbent upon the roof of the old shed.

    Example

    The botanist noted that the incumbent radicle was pressed firmly against the side of the cotyledons.
Etymology 1

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-).

Etymology 2

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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