inchoative
English edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Latin inchoātīvus, formed by metathesis from incohātīvus, from incohō (“to begin”). Compare French inchoatif.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
inchoative (not comparable)
- At the beginning, still in an unformed state.
- 1648, Walter Montagu, Miscellanea Spiritualia, or Devout Essaies:
- Some inchoative or imperfect rays.
- 1858, Thomas Carlyle, History Of Friedrich II Of Prussia:
- Our first Piece is of Winter, or late Autumn, 1771,—while the solution of the Polish Business is still in its inchoative stages; …
- (grammar) Aspectually indicating that a state is about to be entered or is in the process of being entered.
- 1974, Floyd L. Moreland, Rita M. Fleischer, Latin: An Intensive Course, University of California Press, page 12:
- The inchoative (inceptive) aspect of a verb expresses the beginning of an action. Example: He is beginning to crawl.
- (grammar) Inflected in or relating to the inchoative aspect.
Related terms edit
Translations edit
at the beginning
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grammar: aspectually indicating that an action is to begin
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See also edit
Noun edit
inchoative (plural inchoatives)
- (grammar) An inchoative construction.
See also edit
References edit
inchoative aspect on Wikipedia.Wikipedia - “inchoative”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “inchoative”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
German edit
Pronunciation edit
Audio (file)
Adjective edit
inchoative
- inflection of inchoativ: