inchoative (adj.)

1630s, "indicating beginning or inception;" see inchoate + -ive. Especially in grammar, of verbs, "denoting the beginning of action, inceptive," 1660s.

Entries linking to inchoative

inchoate (adj.)

"recently or just begun," 1530s, from Latin inchoatus, past participle of inchoare, alteration of incohare "commence, begin," probably originally "to hitch up," traditionally derived from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + a verb from cohum "strap (fastened to the oxen's yoke)," a word of obscure origin. De Vaan says that as, incohere "is a frequent verb, ... its meaning can easily have derived from 'to yoke a plough to a team of oxen' ..., in other words, 'to start work.' Thus, there might be a core of truth in the ancient connection of cohum with a yoke."

-ive

word-forming element making adjectives from verbs, meaning "pertaining to, tending to; doing, serving to do," in some cases from Old French -if, but usually directly from Latin adjectival suffix -ivus (source also of Italian and Spanish -ivo). In some words borrowed from French at an early date it has been reduced to -y (as in hasty, tardy).

inceptive (adj.)

1650s, "denoting the initial point or step," from French inceptif (16c.), from Latin incept-, past participle stem of incipere "to begin" (see inception). Interchangeable with inchoative. As a noun, "an inceptive verb," from 1610s.

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updated on November 04, 2015

Definitions of inchoative from WordNet

inchoative (n.)

aspect with regard to the beginning of the action of the verb;

Synonyms: inchoative aspect

inchoative (adj.)

initial;

inchoative stages

Synonyms: inceptive

Etymologies are not definitions. From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near inchoative

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incidentally