Incumbent

a. [Lat. incumbens, p. pr. of incumbere, to lie down upon, from prefix in and cumbere, cubare, to lie down; Sp. incumbente, It. incombente, Fr. incumbant.] 1. Lying or resting upon. To move the incumbent load they try. Addison. Till the bright mountains prop the incumbent sky. Pope. 2. Supported; buoyed up. And fly incumbent on the dusky air. Milton. 3. Lying or resting, as duty or obligation; imposed and emphatically urging or pressing to performance; indispensable. All men, truly zealous, will perform those good works which are incumbent on all Christians. Sprat. 4. (Bot.) Leaning or resting;—said of anthers when lying on the inner side of the filament, or of cotyledons when the radicle lies against the back of one of them. Gray.

n. The person who is in present possession of a benefice, or any office.