I. (ˈ)in|kōə̇t, ənˈkō-, ˈinkəˌwāt adjective
Etymology: Latin inchoatus, incohatus, past participle of inchoare, incohare to begin (literally, to hitch up), from in- in- (II) + cohum strap fastening a plow beam to the yoke; perhaps akin to Breton mor go hame, Welsh myn ci hame, Old English haga hedge — more at hedge
: being recently begun or undertaken : incipient : being partly but not fully in existence or operation : incomplete: as
a. : imperfectly formed or formulated : disordered , incoherent , unorganized
the general plan is inchoate and incoherent, and the particular treatments disconnected — Hilary Corke
the solar system … far out from the hub of this great wheel of stars and inchoate dust and gas — L.C.Eiseley
vague consumer longings and inchoate needs — J.S.Gambs
b. of a legal right or instrument or interest : not yet perfected : not yet made certain or specific : not yet vested : incipient , expectant , potential , contingent , imperfected
an inchoate right of dower
an inchoate equity
an instrument that the law requires to be recorded is an inchoate instrument until it is recorded — Besse May Miller
• in·cho·ate·ly adverb
• in·cho·ate·ness noun -es
II. ˈinkəˌwāt, ə̇nˈkōˌāt verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin inchoatus, incohatus, past participle of inchoare, incohare
transitive verb
archaic : to cause to begin
intransitive verb
archaic : to make a beginning : start