nascent
Americanadjective
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beginning to exist or develop.
That nascent republic is holding its first election this month.
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Chemistry. (of an element) in the nascent state.
adjective
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starting to grow or develop; being born
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chem (of an element or simple compound, esp hydrogen) created within the reaction medium in the atomic form and having a high activity
Other Word Forms
- nascence noun
- nascency noun
- unnascent adjective
Etymology
Origin of nascent
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin nāscent-, stem of nāscēns “being born,” present participle of nāscī “to be born, arise”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The half-dozen new bills are meant to help the nascent industry clear those hurdles.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
The larger issue for stocks heading into the second quarter, however, is likely to be the speed and sustainability of the nascent recovery.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
“Smart eyewear remains a nascent market with no clear incumbent, offering Enovix an opportunity to establish early leadership,” Legg wrote.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
“As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit from the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere,” Disney said in a statement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
It was perfected in North China, spread and preempted or replaced any other nascent system, and evolved into the writing still used in China today.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
