/ɪnˈsɪdəntəl/ ihn-sid-ən-təl

Definitions

1. adjective

happening or existing as a result of something else, especially something that is not intended or planned.

“The discovery of the new species was an incidental finding of the research team.”

2. noun

something that is not the main subject of a conversation, story, etc., but is mentioned as an aside.

“The movie’s plot was overshadowed by some incidental details about the characters’ past.”

3. adverb

in an incidental manner.

“She was incidental in her approach to solving the problem.”

4. verb

to make something incidental.

“The new policy will inadvertently make the project incidental to the company’s main goals.”