incidence

noun

in·​ci·​dence ˈin(t)-sə-dən(t)s 

-ˌden(t)s

1

a

: rate of occurrence or influence

a high incidence of crime

b

: an act or the fact or manner of falling upon or affecting : occurrence

2

a

: angle of incidence

b

: the arrival of something (such as a projectile or a ray of light) at a surface

Did you know?

The words incident, incidence, and instance may seem similar (and, in fact, incident and incidence are closely related), but they are not used identically. In current use, incidence usually means "rate of occurrence" and is often qualified in some way ("a high incidence of diabetes"). Incident usually refers to a particular event, often something unusual or unpleasant ("many such incidents go unreported"). Instance suggests a particular occurrence that is offered as an example ("another instance of bureaucratic bumbling"); it can also be synonymous with case ("many instances in which the wrong form was submitted"). The plural incidences sometimes occurs in such contexts as "several recent incidences of crime," but this use is often criticized as incorrect.

Examples of incidence in a Sentence

an increased incidence of diabetes

a high incidence of criminal behavior

Recent Examples on the Web

The high incidence of cancer stems from a mix of environmental and socioeconomic factors, like high levels of pollution, as well as lifestyle and dietary preferences. —Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

There is no data that indicates a biological reason for why young Black male athletes have a higher incidence of sudden cardiac arrest and death, Kim and Drezner say. —Amanda Sealy, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024

However, the incidence of property crime is much higher, with about 2,223 crimes committed per 100,000 people, according to U.S. News. —Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2024

Bacterial pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae and Legionella species has a high incidence of complications. —Tanya Feke, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2024

The National Institutes of Health estimates the incidence of cerebral vein thrombosis at three to four cases per million every year. —Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024

Moreover, differences in income appear to correlate with disparities in cancer incidence and deaths. —Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

Newsletters Sign up for Cancer Briefing Critical updates on the fast-moving world of cancer research, treatment, and patient care What do the cancers with the highest incidence — lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer — have in common? —Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 5 Feb. 2024

The new report details how many low-income countries have high cancer death rates despite low cancer incidence, largely due to a lack of access to screening tools to spot the disease early and advanced treatment services. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing incidence

• angle of incidence

Kids Definition

incidence

noun

in·​ci·​dence ˈin(t)-səd-ən(t)s 

-sə-ˌden(t)s

1

: angle of incidence

2

: rate of occurrence

a high incidence of illness

Medical Definition

incidence

noun

in·​ci·​dence ˈin(t)-səd-ən(t)s, -sə-ˌden(t)s 

1

a

: angle of incidence

b

: the arrival of something (as a ray of light) at a surface

2

a

: an act or the fact or manner of occurring or affecting

diseases of domestic incidence

—Science

b

: rate of occurrence or influence

especially : the rate of occurrence of new cases of a particular disease in a population being studied compare prevalence