excogitate

American  

[eks-koj-i-teyt] / ɛksˈkɒdʒ ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

excogitated, excogitating

1. to think out; devise; invent.

2. to study intently and carefully in order to grasp or comprehend fully.

---

excogitate British  

/ ɛksˈkɒdʒɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. to devise, invent, or contrive

2. to think out in detail

---

Other Word Forms

• excogitable adjective
• excogitation noun
• excogitative adjective
• excogitator noun
• unexcogitated adjective
• unexcogitative adjective

Etymology

Origin of excogitate

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin excōgitātus, past participle of excōgitāre “to devise, invent, think out”; see ex- ¹, cogitate

Example Sentences

Yet even Varchi shares the prevailing conviction that the proper method is first to excogitate a perfect political system, and then to impress that like a stamp upon the material of the commonwealth.

From Renaissance in Italy, Volume 1 (of 7) The Age of the Despots by Symonds, John Addington

The following series of possibilities are curiously interesting, both from their partial subsequent realization, and from the simple credulity with which Bacon gives us that which he had known "a wise man explicitly excogitate."

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 368, June 1846 by Various

And he had four days a week in which to excogitate new methods of creating a fortune.

From The Card, a Story of Adventure in the Five Towns by Bennett, Arnold

I wouldn't put the question to you for the world, and expose you to the inconvenience of having to—a— excogitate an answer.

From Washington Square by James, Henry

Bein’ hot I lay down in the lee of a bush to excogitate.

From Black Ivory by Pearson, Francis B.