incidence

incidence

the rate or range of occurrence or influence of something: There is a high incidence of lung cancer in people who smoke.

Not to be confused with:

incidents – individual events; a distinct bit of action; occurrences: There were several disturbing incidents during the peace march.

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

in·ci·dence

 (ĭn′sĭ-dəns)

n.

1. The rate or extent of occurrence or effect: a high incidence of malaria in the tropics.

2.

a. Usage Problem A specific event; instance or incident: fewer incidences of fraud after the regulations were enforced.

b. The action, fact, or instance of occurring: did not expect criticism and was surprised by its incidence.

3. Physics

a. The arrival of radiation or a projectile at a surface.

b. Angle of incidence.

Usage Note: The singular noun incidence usually refers to the rate at which something happens, as in The city has taken measures to reduce the incidence of vandalism.In this sense, it is used in the plural only in relatively rare situations when several rates are being discussed (for example, incidences of heart disease, cancer, and stroke). However, incidence is often confused with the similar-sounding words incident and instance, which refer not to a rate but to a discrete event and are pluralized as incidents (which sounds exactly like incidence) and instances (which has an ending similar to incidences). This confusion often leads people to use incidences as a plural referring to a number of events, as in the sentence Incidences of religious intolerance are on the rise, creating tensions within many communities. In our 2014 Usage Survey, 74 percent of Panelists found this sentence unacceptable, and many Panelists remarked that incidences should be replaced with incidents or instances. The same sentence was unacceptable to 67 percent of Panelists in 2002, suggesting that there has been no increase in acceptability of this usage. A few Panelists remarked that this sentence might be acceptable if it were referring to rates of vandalism in several different places. A less ambiguous sentence (The election was marred by a few violent incidences) was rejected by 80 percent of the Panel. In this sentence, incidents is the better choice.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

incidence

(ˈɪnsɪdəns)

n

1. degree, extent, or frequency of occurrence; amount: a high incidence of death from pneumonia.

2. the act or manner of impinging on or affecting by proximity or influence

3. (General Physics) physics the arrival of a beam of light or particles at a surface. See also angle of incidence

4. (Mathematics) geometry the partial coincidence of two configurations, such as a point that lies on a circle

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•ci•dence

(ˈɪn sɪ dəns)

n.

1. the rate or range of occurrence or influence of something.

2. occurrence; happening.

3.

a. the striking of a ray of light, beam of electrons, etc., on a surface, or the direction of striking.

b. angle of incidence (def. 1).

[1375–1425]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	incidence - the relative frequency of occurrence of something relative incidence relative frequency, frequency - the ratio of the number of observations in a statistical category to the total number of observations morbidity - the relative incidence of a particular disease
	2.	incidence - the striking of a light beam on a surface; "he measured the angle of incidence of the reflected light" optical phenomenon - a physical phenomenon related to or involving light

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

incidence

noun prevalence, frequency, occurrence, rate, amount, degree, extent The incidence of breast cancer increases with age.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Einfall

incidenza

incidence

[ˈɪnsɪdəns] N (= extent) [of crime] → incidencia f, índice m; [of disease] → incidencia f, frecuencia f
the angle of incidence (Phys) → el ángulo de incidencia

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

incidence

[ˈɪnsɪdəns] n [crime, disease] → fréquence f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

incidence

n

(Opt) → Einfall m; angle of incidence → Einfallswinkel m

(of crime, disease) → Häufigkeit f; a high incidence of crime → eine hohe Verbrechensquote (= occurrence) → Vorkommen nt

(= occurrence) → Vorkommen nt; isolated incidences → vereinzelte Fälle pl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

incidence

[ˈɪnsɪd/əns] n (extent, rate, of disease, crime) → incidenza
the angle of incidence (Phys) → l'angolo d'incidenza

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

in·ci·dence

n. incidencia; frecuencia.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

incidence

n incidencia

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.