adj · noun · verb · 8 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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Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈkəʊət/
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈkəʊeɪt/
General-American:/ɪnˈkoʊət/
General-American:/ɪnˈkoʊeɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N K OW1 AH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chaotic, confused
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Of a crime, imposing criminal liability for an incompleted act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A beginning, an immature start.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To begin or start (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To cause or bring about. In the field of criminology, to encourage, assist, conspire, aid and abet, incite, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To make a start.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective satellite
Meaning 8
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
incipient civil disorder
an incipient tumor
a vague inchoate idea
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: incipient
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
The adjective is first attested in 1534, the verb circa 1631; borrowed from Latin incohātus (“begun, unfinished”), perfect passive participle of incohō (“to begin”), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). Cognate with Spanish incoar (“to initiate, commence, begin”).
Across languages
Translations
86 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
اِبْتِدَائِيّ
(ibtidāʔiyy)
— started but not fully formed
Bulgarian:
зачатъчен
(začatǎčen)
— started but not fully formed
Bulgarian:
недоразвит
(nedorazvit)
— started but not fully formed
Czech:
nevyzrálý
— started but not fully formed
Czech:
nevyvinutý
— started but not fully formed
Czech:
jsoucí v zárodku
— started but not fully formed
Czech:
rodící se
— started but not fully formed
Czech:
vznikající
— started but not fully formed
Dutch:
embryonaal
— started but not fully formed
Dutch:
onvoldragen
— started but not fully formed
Finnish:
alkeellinen
— started but not fully formed
Finnish:
alullaan oleva
— started but not fully formed
Finnish:
orastava
— started but not fully formed
French:
embryonnaire
— started but not fully formed
German:
im Entstehen begriffen
— started but not fully formed
German:
beginnend
— started but not fully formed
German:
unausgegoren
— started but not fully formed
Greek:
ατελής
(atelís)
— started but not fully formed
Greek:
νεοφανής
(neofanís)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
अपूर्ण
(apūrṇ)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
अपक्व
(apakva)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
असम्पूर्ण
(asampūrṇ)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
अस्फुटित
(asphuṭit)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
अविकसित
(aviksit)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
आरम्भिक
(ārambhik)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
प्रारम्भिक
(prārambhik)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
प्राथमिक
(prāthmik)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
इब्तिदाई
(ibtidāī)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
शुरुआती
(śuruātī)
— started but not fully formed
Hindi:
शुरूआती
(śurūātī)
— started but not fully formed
Hungarian:
befejezetlen
— started but not fully formed
Japanese:
無感性な
(mukansei na)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
अपूर्ण
(apūrṇa)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
अपक्व
(apakva)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
असंपूर्ण
(asampūrṇa)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
अस्फुटित
(asphuṭit)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
अविकसित
(aviksit)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
आरंभिक
(ārambhik)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
प्रारंभिक
(prārambhik)
— started but not fully formed
Marathi:
प्राथमिक
(prāthmik)
— started but not fully formed
Norwegian Bokmål:
uutviklet
— started but not fully formed
Norwegian Bokmål:
embryonisk
— started but not fully formed
Persian:
اِبْتِدَائِی
— started but not fully formed
Russian:
начальный
(načalʹnyj)
— started but not fully formed
Russian:
ранний
(rannij)
— started but not fully formed
Russian:
неоконченный
(neokončennyj)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
अपूर्ण
(apūrṇa)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
अपक्व
(apakva)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
असम्पूर्ण
(asampūrṇa)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
अस्फुटित
(asphuṭita)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
अविकसित
(avikasita)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
आरम्भिक
(ārambhika)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
प्रारम्भिक
(prārambhika)
— started but not fully formed
Sanskrit:
प्राथमिक
(prāthamika)
— started but not fully formed
Serbo-Croatian:
začet
— started but not fully formed
Serbo-Croatian:
nedovršen
— started but not fully formed
Spanish:
embrional
— started but not fully formed
Spanish:
incipiente
— started but not fully formed
Swedish:
outvecklad
— started but not fully formed
Urdu:
اِبْتِدَائِی
(ibtidāī)
— started but not fully formed
