nascent
Americanadjective
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beginning to exist or develop.
That nascent republic is holding its first election this month.
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Chemistry. (of an element) in the nascent state.
adjective
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starting to grow or develop; being born
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chem (of an element or simple compound, esp hydrogen) created within the reaction medium in the atomic form and having a high activity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nascent
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin nāscent-, stem of nāscēns “being born,” present participle of nāscī “to be born, arise”
Explanation
The adjective nascent describes the birth or beginning of something, like a civilization, a trend, an idea, or an action. If your idea for a time machine is nascent, it needs a lot more work before you'll be ready to travel to ancient Egypt. Imagine you’re in the future looking back at the first time you learned the definition of the word nascent. Your nascent efforts to use the word felt awkward, but you quickly felt comfortable with it, especially after you learned how to pronounce it: “NAY-sent.” Now you use the word all the time!
Vocabulary lists containing nascent
This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More nascent startups are also drawing bumper checks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
"That is not how technology markets work, particularly with a really nascent technology like AI," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
Lawmakers and AI industry leaders have also called for guardrails on the nascent technology, which experts warn could soon surpass human understanding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Its film industry is, as he puts it, "at a very nascent stage", with little of the reach enjoyed by India's established filmmaking centres.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
The film would not just reflect but in many ways define the still nascent but increasingly twisted Nazi my thos.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
