incidence
Syllabification: (in·ci·dence)
Pronunciation: /ˈinsidəns/
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Definition of incidence
noun
- 2 Physics the intersection of a line, or something moving in a straight line, such as a beam of light, with a surface. See also angle of incidence.
Origin:
late Middle English (denoting a casual or subordinate event or circumstance): from Old French, or from medieval Latin incidentia, from Latin incidere 'fall upon, happen to'(see incident). incidence (sense 1) dates from the early 19th century
Incidence and incidents sound the same, but incidence is more often used in technical contexts, referring to the frequency with which something occurs: increased ultraviolet light is likely to cause increased incidence of skin cancer. Incidents is simply the plural of incident, an event: the police are supposed to investigate any incidents of domestic violence. The form incidences should be avoided.