inchoate

in·cho·ate

adjective

The definition of inchoate is something that has just started or is partially begun, but that hasn't fully developed yet.

An example of something that would be described as inchoate is a new fledgling organization that has not yet developed all the way.

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"inchoate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate>.

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inchoate. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate

inchoate

just begun; in the early stages; incipient; rudimentary
not yet clearly or completely formed or organized; disordered
Law not yet completed or made effective; pending

Origin of inchoate

Classical Latin inchoatus, incohatus, past participle of inchoare, incohare, to begin, origin, originally rural term “hitch up, harness” from in-, in + cohum, the strap from plow beam to yoke from Indo-European base an unverified form kagh-, to hold, enclose from source hedge

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MLA Style

"inchoate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate>.

APA Style

inchoate. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate

inchoate

adjective

Being in a beginning or early stage; incipient: “The country was developing an incipient national art, an inchoate national literature” ( Jay Winik )
Imperfectly formed or developed; disordered or incoherent: “A prophet must be a good public speaker, someone who can transform inchoate rage into eloquent diatribe” ( David Leavitt )

Origin of inchoate

Latin inchoātus past participle of inchoāre to begin alteration of incohāre in- in ; see in- ². cohum strap from yoke to harness

Related Forms:

in·cho′ate·ly
adverb

in·cho′ate·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"inchoate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate>.

APA Style

inchoate. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate

Adjective

(comparative more inchoate, superlative most inchoate)

Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature.
Chaotic, disordered, confused; also, incoherent, rambling.

Noun

(plural inchoates)

(rare) A beginning, an immature start.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present inchoates, present participle inchoating, simple past and past participle inchoated)

To begin or start something.
To cause or bring about.
To make a start.

Anagrams

Origin

From Latin incohātus (“begun, unfinished”), perfect passive participle of incohō (“begin”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"inchoate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate>.

APA Style

inchoate. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inchoate

inchoate - Legal Definition

adj

Commenced but not completed, partially done, generally used in contract law to describe an undertaking which has been agreed upon, but as to which all necessary formalities (for example, signatures on the document) have not been completed.