incidences

IPA/ˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/
KK[ˈɪnsədənsɪz]IPA/ˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/

incidences — noun

  • incidencessingular
  • incidencesesplural

1. measured rates showing how often a disease, problem, or condition appears in par

1.nounC1
Definition

measured rates showing how often a disease, problem, or condition appears in particular groups, places, or time periods.

Example

Health officials tracked incidences of dengue fever across the island last summer.

incidences of [disease] across [place]

Christopher compared the incidences of asthma in two factory towns.

incidences of [condition] in [place]

Common collocations
  • incidences of disease
  • rising incidences
  • high/low incidences
  • incidences in children
Synonyms
  • prevalence

    focuses more on how widespread something is than on separate measured rates

  • occurrence

    broader and less technical; not usually used for disease-rate reporting

  • frequency

    general term for how often something happens, without the formal statistical tone

Grammar Patterns

incidences of [disease/problem]

high/low incidences

incidences in [place/group]

Usage Note

Used mainly in formal reports, especially in health or statistics. It usually compares how often a condition appears across different groups, places, or time periods.

Common Mistakes

The incidence are rising in three cities.
The incidences are rising in three cities.
use the plural form when you mean several separate rates or groups.

2. particular cases in which something happens, especially when a report or record

2.nounC1
Definition

particular cases in which something happens, especially when a report or record counts them.

Example

Several incidences of broken glass were reported after the concert.

several incidences of [problem]

The file records incidences of cheating during the final exam.

records incidences of [event]

Common collocations
  • several incidences of
  • reported incidences of
  • earlier incidences of
  • incidences of theft
Synonyms
  • incidents

    more common in everyday English, often for unwelcome events

  • cases

    broader and common in reports or records

  • occurrences

    formal and close in meaning, but less tied to official records

Grammar Patterns

incidences of [problem/crime]

several incidences of something

reported incidences of something

Usage Note

More formal than 'incidents' or 'cases' and usually followed by 'of' plus the thing that happened. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense counts separate events, not a measured rate.

Common Mistakes

There were three incidences yesterday.
There were three incidences of vandalism yesterday.
this noun usually names what happened after 'of'.

3. occasions when light, or another moving object, reaches and meets a surface.

3.nounC2
Definition

occasions when light, or another moving object, reaches and meets a surface.

Example

The textbook compares incidences of light on smooth and rough surfaces.

incidences of light on [surface]

During the lab, Yan noted two incidences of sunlight on the sensor.

two incidences of sunlight on [surface]

Common collocations
  • incidences of light
  • incidences on a surface
  • different incidences
  • incidences of sunlight

Grammar Patterns

incidences of light on [surface]

incidences on a surface

different incidences of light

Usage Note

Mostly used in physics or optics. In everyday English, people usually say that light hits or falls on a surface instead of using this noun.

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • high incidences
  • low incidences
  • reported incidences of
  • incidences of light on a surface

Prepositions

  • incidences of
  • incidences in
  • incidences on

Etymology

LatinLate LatinEnglish

This is the plural form of 'incidence'. 'Incidence' entered English through late Latin roots linked to 'incidere', meaning 'to fall or happen upon'. Over time, the noun came to mean either the rate at which something appears or a particular happening, and scientific writing developed the special sense about light or other objects meeting a surface.

First known use

1626

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 2a