VCR 6
Hannah Wright
Guess the Word
Barack Obama is the first African American ________________ to head the executive branch of government and the United States itself.
Incumbent
N. A person who holds an office or position
N. Required as a duty or obligation
Parts of Speech
Adj: Already holding an office or position
N: Incumbency (in reference to a duty)
Side Note
Incumbent can also be used literally, as in "leaning" or "lying on". For example: the incumbent tower of books spelled disaster.
Synonyms
Duty
Obligation
Officer
Leaning
Antonyms
Unnecessary
(Someone holding no position)
Straight
Roots
cubo, cubare, cubui, cubitum: "to lie down"
incumbo, incumbere, incubui, incubitum: "to recline"
Practice
1. The incumbent pile of papers threatened to topple at as moment; only the lamp beside them was holding them up.
2. At Charlotte Latin, it is incumbent that all parents take a class on teen drinking and addiction.
3. Bob decided to incumbent for power, so he ran for a chair in the US Senate, although he lacked experience.
4. When running for student councils, those students already incumbent are more likely to be reelected.