nascent

American  

[nas-uhnt, ney-suhnt] / ˈnæs ənt, ˈneɪ sənt /

adjective

1. beginning to exist or develop.

   That nascent republic is holding its first election this month.

2. Chemistry. (of an element) in the nascent state.

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nascent British  

/ ˈneɪ-, ˈnæsənt /

adjective

1. starting to grow or develop; being born

2. chem (of an element or simple compound, esp hydrogen) created within the reaction medium in the atomic form and having a high activity

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Other Word Forms

• nascence noun
• nascency noun
• unnascent adjective

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”

Example Sentences

The through line in my career has been adapting nascent, emerging or disruptive technologies for national security.

From The Wall Street Journal

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character.

From BBC

Those reforms are so nascent that not much is known about them, Dee said, and his study is one of a handful that provides a credible evaluation.

From Los Angeles Times

It was remarked on by Robert F. Kennedy Sr. in a speech in March 1968, less than three months before his nascent presidential campaign was ended by an assassin’s bullet.

From Los Angeles Times

TAE is one of the oldest—and most prominent—companies working in the relatively nascent field of commercial nuclear fusion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• burgeoning
• fledgling
• growing
• incipient
• promising