Incident vs Event
The terms “incident” and “event” are often used interchangeably in the English language, but they have different meanings. The word “incident” can function as a noun or an adjective, whereas “event” is exclusively used as a noun. The origin of “event” dates back to the late 16th century, and the origin of “incident” goes back to late Middle English. Eventless and eventlessness are derivatives of the word “event”, while phrases like “in any event”, “in the event”, and “in that event” are also used in English.
What does Incident mean?
“Incident” is used to describe an unexpected happening. For example:
– The incident shook the people present in the park.
– I saw the incident from close quarters.
In both sentences, “incident” is used as a noun to mean an unexpected occurrence. The word “incident” can also take the adverbial form in the term “incidentally”. The plural of “incident” is incidents, and it is often followed by the preposition “of”, as in “the incident of the place.”
What does Event mean?
“Event”, on the other hand, is used to describe a planned happening. For example:
– The event took place at 5 p.m.
– A jam-packed crowd watched the grand event.
In these examples, “event” is used as a noun to mean a planned occurrence. The word “event” can also be used to denote probability or possibility, as in “In the event of his coming late, you can go there.” Additionally, “event” takes the adverbial form in the term “eventually”, and its plural form is events.
Key Takeaways
- An “incident” refers to an unexpected happening, while an “event” refers to a planned happening.
- Both “incident” and “event” are used as nouns, but “incident” can also function as an adjective.
- “Event” can sometimes be used to denote probability or possibility.
