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incumbent

3 ENTRIES FOUND:

1in·cum·bent

noun \in-ˈkəm-bənt\

Definition of INCUMBENT

1
: the holder of an office or ecclesiastical benefice
2
: one that occupies a particular position or place

Examples of INCUMBENT

  1. Voters will have the chance to see the incumbent and her opponent in a series of three debates.
  2. Incumbents often have an advantage in elections.
  3. Because the statehouse now determines voting districts, the current map generally ensures that incumbents face minimal challenges to re-election. —Terry McCarthy, Time, 20 Dec. 2004

Origin of INCUMBENT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin incumbent-, incumbens, present participle of incumbere to lie down on, from in- + -cumbere to lie down; akin to cubare to lie
First Known Use: 15th century

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

Rhymes with INCUMBENT

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