inchoate

[ in-koh-it, -eytor, especially British, in-koh-eyt ]

adjective

1. not yet completed or fully developed; rudimentary.
2. just begun; incipient.
3. not organized; lacking order:

   an inchoate mass of ideas on the subject.

inchoate

/ ɪnˈkəʊətɪv /

adjective

1. just beginning; incipient
2. undeveloped; immature; rudimentary
3. (of a legal document, promissory note, etc) in an uncompleted state; not yet made specific or valid

verb

1. to begin

Derived Forms

• inˈchoateness, noun
• ˌinchoˈation, noun
• inˈchoately, adverb
• inchoative, adjective

Other Words From

• in·choate·ly adverb
• in·choate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inchoate¹

1525–35; < Latin inchoātus, variant of incohātus, past participle of incohāre “to begin, start work on,” perhaps equivalent to in- in- ²( def ) + coh(um) “hollow of a yoke into which the pole is fitted” + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of inchoate¹

C16: from Latin incohāre to make a beginning, literally: to hitch up, from in- ² + cohum yokestrap

Example Sentences

But although his methodology was questioned, he opened the door to a generation of social scientists for the analysis of often subjective and inchoate aspects of human emotion and behavior.

From Los Angeles Times

Another problem with the analysis is that the candidates’ proposals are inchoate — as the committee acknowledges.

From Los Angeles Times

As the guy threatening to murder "leftys" demonstrates, the anger can be inchoate and the targets are chosen nearly at random.

From Salon

Instead, the emails became a symbol of a powerful but inchoate sense, magnified by disproportionate press attention, that she was devious and deceptive.

From Seattle Times

Died 2024 filled with demented gibberish whose last candidate was incapable of anything but incoherent, inchoate insults.

From Salon