Link Centre Dictionary

inchoate

inc·hoate

UK/ɪnˈkəʊeɪt/ US/ɪnˈkoʊeɪt/ uncommon rare

adjective

1.

only partly in existence; imperfectly formed

  • “incipient civil disorder”
  • “an incipient tumor”
  • “a vague inchoate idea”
Synonyms
Similar

Origin

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”).

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.