inception

American  

[in-sep-shuhn] / ɪnˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

1. beginning; start; commencement.

   Synonyms:

   conception, root, source, outset, origin

2. British.

   1. the act of graduating or earning a university degree, usually a master's or doctor's degree, especially at Cambridge University.

   2. the graduation ceremony; commencement.

3. (in science fiction) the act of instilling an idea into someone's mind by entering their dreams.

---

inception British  

/ ɪnˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the beginning, as of a project or undertaking

---

Etymology

Origin of inception

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English incepcion, from Latin inceptiōn- (stem of inceptiō ), equivalent to incept(us) “begun” ( incept ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Equities may also have gotten a small April Fool’s bump—the S&P 500 has averaged a gain of nearly 0.3% on April 1 going back to its inception, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Described as “a cornerstone of the Shade 45 family,” Sear had been involved with the SiruisXM hip-hop station created by Eminem since its inception in 2004.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

At the end of January, the fund had generated an annualized net return of about 9.4% since inception, and came in at about 8.9% last year, according to the letter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The fund returned 8% last year and has seen annual returns of 9.8% since inception in 2021.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

Rather, from its inception, it was designed to be a containment zone.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• initiation
• outset