inchoate

Meaning

Adj

1. Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature.
2. Chaotic, disordered, confused; also, incoherent, rambling.
3. Of a crime, imposing criminal liability for an incompleted act.

Noun

A beginning, an immature start.

Verb

1. (transitive) To begin or start (something).
2. (transitive) To cause or bring about. In the field of criminology, to encourage, assist, conspire, aid and abet, incite, etc.
3. (intransitive) To make a start.

Synonyms

incipient

inchoative

inceptive

rudimentary

imperfect

incomplete

initiate

sketchy

starting

begin

half baked

beginning

commence

deficient

elementary

Translations

inchoatif

incipiente

incipiente

incipiente

incoativo

gelişmemiş

yeni başlamış

ατελής

unausgereift

incoativo

unvollständig

ανοργάνωτος

νεοφανής

débutant

μόλις αρχίσας

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪnˈkəʊət/

Etymology

Cognate with Spanish: incoar

In summary

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”).