The main difference between incident and incidence is that incidence is a general term that refers to a specific event while incidence is a technical term that refers to the relative frequency of something.
Many people make the mistake of using incident instead of incidence as these two words look and sound similar. However, there is a distinct difference between incident and incidence, and they cannot be used interchangeably.
Key Areas Covered
1. What Does Incident Mean
– Definition, Meaning, Usage
2. What Does Incidence Mean
– Definition, Meaning, Usage
3. What is the Difference Between Incident and Incidence
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Incidence, Incident
Incident – Meaning and Usage
Incident refers to a single distinct event. It is derived from the Latin word incidere meaning falling upon or happening to. Moreover, “incidents” is the plural of the word incident. Imagine that you are talking about an event or an occurrence in your life which resulted in your fear of dogs. Then you can say “that incident made me scared of dogs.” The word incident can be also used to refer to a hostile clash between two countries or nations as well as dangerous or exciting happenings. These meanings can be further clarified by observing the examples below.
He lost both his mother and sister in that tragic incident.
That incident put her off ice-cream for years.
One person was killed in the incident.
His time in France went without incident.
Several such violent incidents have been reported to the Police, and the Police is currently investigating these incidents.
The conflict between Japan and China in 1932 is known as the January 28 Incident or Shanghai Incident.
The word incident can also be used as an adjective. Here the preposition ‘to’ is often used with ‘incident’. As an adjective, it means liable to happen because of, resulting from or attaching to (in law.)
“The changes incident to economic development…”
One person was killed in the incident.
Incidence – Meaning and Usage
Incidence is a technical word referring to the relative frequency or occurrence of something. We generally use this word to describe a negative thing like a disease or a crime. If a certain town has a higher rate of Dengue patients, then you can say that this town has a high incidence of Dengue.
They suffer a higher incidence of measles as they were not vaccinated in childhood.
Planting trees help reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases.
Women in third world countries face a higher incidence of domestic violence.
This area has a high incidence of traffic accidents.
In physics, incidence also refers to the intersection of a line, or something moving in a straight line, such as a beam of light, with a surface. Furthermore, note that the word “incident angle” is related to this concept of “incidence” in Physics.
Difference Between Incident and Incidence
Definition
An incident is an event or act of importance, while incidence is the relative frequency or occurrence of something.
Usage
We use the word incident to describe both positive and negative things, but we often use the word incidence to describe undesirable things like diseases or crimes.
Type of Term
Moreover, incident is a general term while incidence is a technical term.
Conclusion
Many people make the mistake of using incident instead of incidence as these two words look and sound similar. The main difference between incident and incidence is that incidence is a general term that refers to a specific event while incidence is a technical term that refers to the relative frequency of something.
