# occurrence

/əˈkɝəns/ (US) · /əkˈɜːɹəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/occurrence
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. an event

noun · CEFR B2

something that happens, especially an event that is not planned.

For teachers: an instance of something happening; a specific event or incident.

- Power cuts are a common occurrence during the stormy winter months.
- The sudden appearance of the rare bird in a suburban garden was such an unusual occurrence that it drew birdwatchers from across the country.

Usage: Often used with adjectives like 'common', 'rare', or 'everyday'.

### 2. existence or frequency

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

the fact of something existing or being found in a place.

For teachers: the fact or frequency of something appearing or existing within a particular place or dataset.

- Scientists are studying the occurrence of microplastics in the local river.
- The researchers noted a high occurrence of specific mineral deposits along the fault line, suggesting a complex geological history.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'of'.

Teaching tip: In academic writing, this sense is used to discuss how often a specific feature or substance appears in a sample.

### 3. linguistic aspect

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

the way a verb describes an action happening over time.

For teachers: the lexical aspect or 'aktionsart' of a verb or predicate, specifically regarding how it unfolds in time.

- The professor explained how the occurrence of the verb changed its meaning.
- In formal semantics, the occurrence of a predicate is analyzed based on whether the action has a natural endpoint or continues indefinitely.

Usage: Used as a technical term in linguistics and grammar.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term; most learners will only encounter it in advanced linguistics textbooks.

## Examples

- Snow is a rare occurrence in this part of the country.
- The police reported that car accidents are a daily occurrence on this busy stretch of highway.
- While isolated errors are expected, the frequent occurrence of these specific technical glitches suggests a fundamental flaw in the software's underlying architecture.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.