inchoate

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Just beginning and not yet fully formed or developed

   She had only an inchoate idea of what she wanted to do with her life.

2. 2
   adj

   Confused and lacking clear shape or order

   His argument was inchoate, jumping from one point to another without structure.

The adjective is first attested in 1534, the verb circa 1631; borrowed from Latin incohātus (“begun, unfinished”), perfect passive participle of incohō (“to begin”), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). Cognate with Spanish incoar (“to initiate, commence, begin”).

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