Incidente

Incidente is a noun used in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese to denote an event or occurrence. In English, the direct cognate is incident. The term derives from Latin incidens, from incidere “to fall upon, happen,” and through Late Latin evolved to describe something that happens or occurs. In the Romance languages, incidente covers a wide range of meanings, from everyday events to disruptions or mishaps; in some contexts a more specific word such as accidente or evento may be preferred.

In Italian, incidente most commonly means an event or occurrence and is used for both ordinary happenings and disruptions. Examples include un incidente stradale (a road accident) or un incidente diplomatico (a diplomatic incident). In legal language, incidente can denote a procedural or evidentiary step within a trial, notably l’incidente probatorio, a provisional evidence procedure used to collect or assess evidence.

In Spanish, incidente likewise denotes an event or occurrence and is broadly applicable to non-physical happenings as well as incidents that may disrupt processes, such as incidentes técnicos or incidentes diplomáticos. The term accidente is typically reserved for physical accidents or mishaps. In Portuguese, incidente has a similar general sense and appears in phrases like incidente de segurança (security incident) or incidentes operacionais, reflecting its use in technical and everyday language.

In modern usage, incidente appears in journalism, risk management, safety reporting, and IT security to describe unexpected events, disruptions, or noteworthy occurrences. While related terms like accidente are used for clear physical harm, incidente often conveys a broader or non-specific event context.