incurer

An incurer is a person or entity that incurs something, most commonly costs, liabilities, penalties, or obligations, as the agent subject to the contract, agreement, or legal framework. In practice, the term is not widely used in everyday English and tends to appear in formal, legal, or financial drafting.

Usage and scope: The noun form incurer is rare in standard usage. When it does appear, it usually refers to the party that incurs a specified burden in a contractual or legal context, for example, the incurer of a liability or the incurer of losses. More common phrasing in professional writing is to describe the responsible party as “the party incurring the liability” or to refer to “the costs incurred by X.” The standard verb incur typically governs such situations, with incurred used as the past participle (e.g., costs incurred).

Etymology: The term derives from incur, which comes from Latin incurrere, from in- “toward” + currere “to run.” The agent noun suffix -er can form incurer in English, but this particular agent noun is uncommon and may be considered nonstandard in many contexts.

Alternatives and guidance: Because incurer is not widely recognized, writers are advised to use clearer phrasing. Prefer constructions like “the party that incurs the liability,” “the entity incurring the costs,” or “the costs incurred by X.” In insurance, accounting, and contract language, precise identification of the responsible party is typically more important than the use of the noun incurer.

See also: incur, incurred, liability, contract law, insurance terms.