adj
C2
Proficient
inchoate
Inchoate (adj) means Newly begun and not yet properly developed.
adj
1
Newly begun and not yet properly developed.
"Guthrie’s inchoate socialist leanings grew into a deep commitment to the labor movement."
— David Hajdu, Folk Hero (2004)
"How inutterably sad was the look this fluid inchoate figure of the wolf threw from his beautiful shy eyes."
— Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf (1928)
"Very odd and ugly were these beings, as indeed are most beings of a world yet inchoate and rudely fashioned."
— H. P. Lovecraft, The Doom That Came to Sarnath (1919)
2
Messy and confused, lacking clear order.
3
(law) Describing a crime where someone is held responsible for an act they did not finish.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like inchoate.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
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”).
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for inchoate
See all rhymes for inchoate →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of inchoate?
"inchoate" (adj) means newly begun and not yet properly developed.
What is another word for inchoate?
Other words for "inchoate" include immature, elementary, embryonic, incipient, nascent, rudimentary.
What is the opposite of inchoate?
The opposite of "inchoate" is final.
What are the different meanings of inchoate?
"inchoate" has 3 main meanings: 1. Newly begun and not yet properly developed; 2. Messy and confused, lacking clear order; 3. (law) Describing a crime where someone is held responsible for an act they did not finish.