Standard Lemma guide

incept

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To take in or ingest.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To begin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The company was incepted in 2006.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To accept or to be accepted to the Master of Arts degree at Oxford or Cambridge University.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To put an idea into a person's mind so deeply that they believe it was their own.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Is the idea really yours? Or was it incepted into your mind by your friend?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

* Originally borrowed from Latin inceptus, past participle of incipio. The term is marked "obsolete" in the first edition of the OED (1905); newer usage is a back-formation from inception. * (put an idea into someone's mind): Inspired by the film Inception (2010).

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: получавам (polučavam) — to take in or ingest
  • Bulgarian: поемам (poemam) — to take in or ingest
  • Bulgarian: начевам (načevam) — to begin
  • Spanish: encetar — to begin
  • Spanish: encentar — to begin
  • Spanish: decentar — to begin
  • Spanish: inceptar — to put an idea into a person's mind so deeply that they believe it was their own
  • Spanish: incepcionar — to put an idea into a person's mind so deeply that they believe it was their own