Incumbent

[ɪn'kʌmb(ə)nt] or [ɪn'kʌmbənt]

Definition

(noun.) the official who holds an office.

(adj.) currently holding an office; 'the incumbent governor' .

(adj.) necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility; morally binding; 'it is incumbent on them to pay their own debts' .

(adj.) lying or leaning on something else; 'an incumbent geological formation' .

Typed by Camilla--From WordNet

Definition

(a.) Lying; resting; reclining; recumbent; superimposed; superincumbent.

(a.) Lying, resting, or imposed, as a duty or obligation; obligatory; always with on or upon.

(a.) Leaning or resting; -- said of anthers when lying on the inner side of the filament, or of cotyledons when the radicle lies against the back of one of them.

(a.) Bent downwards so that the ends touch, or rest on, something else; as, the incumbent toe of a bird.

(n.) A person who is in present possession of a benefice or of any office.

Checker: Percy

Synonyms and Synonymous

a. Obligatory, devolving.

n. Holder (of a benefice, &c.).

Edited by Georgina

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Pressing, binding, coercive, indispensable, urgent, devolvent, obligatory

ANT:Optional, discretional

Editor: Lois

Definition

adj. lying or resting on: lying on as a duty.—n. one who holds an ecclesiastical benefice.—n. Incum′bency a lying or resting on: the holding of an office: an ecclesiastical benefice.—adv. Incum′bently.

Editor: Val