inchoate
UK /ɪnˈkəʊət/ · US /ɪnˈkoʊət/ adjective, noun, verb
Forms inchoates inchoating inchoated
- adjective Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature.
- adjective Chaotic, disordered, confused; also, incoherent, rambling.
- adjective (law) Of a crime, imposing criminal liability for an incompleted act.
- noun (rare) A beginning, an immature start.
- verb (transitive) To begin or start (something).
- verb (transitive) To cause or bring about. In the field of criminology, to encourage, assist, conspire, aid and abet, incite, etc.
- verb (intransitive) To make a start.
Synonyms
elementary immature embryonic incipient nascent rudimentary chaotic confused
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Recently, or just, begun; beginning; partially but not fully in existence or operation; existing in its elements; incomplete.
- verb To begin. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.
Etymology [L. inchoatus, better incohatus, p. p. of incohare to begin.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “inchoate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details