excogitate

American  

[eks-koj-i-teyt] / ɛksˈkɒdʒ ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

excogitated, excogitating

1. to think out; devise; invent.

2. to study intently and carefully in order to grasp or comprehend fully.

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excogitate British  

/ ɛksˈkɒdʒɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. to devise, invent, or contrive

2. to think out in detail

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Other Word Forms

• excogitable adjective
• excogitation noun
• excogitative adjective
• excogitator noun
• unexcogitated adjective
• unexcogitative adjective

Etymology

Origin of excogitate

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin excōgitātus, past participle of excōgitāre “to devise, invent, think out”; see ex- ¹, cogitate

Example Sentences

And to speak generally, in regard of things celestial he set his face against attempts to excogitate the machinery by which the divine power formed its several operations.

From The Memorabilia by Dakyns, Henry Graham

Bein’ hot I lay down in the lee of a bush to excogitate.

From Black Ivory by Pearson, Francis B.

The writers who used these expressions did not mean that as reason is given by God, so whatever reason may excogitate is the word of God.

From History of Rationalism Embracing a Survey of the Present State of Protestant Theology by Hurst, J. F. (John Fletcher)

"Shall I to him"—Sister Margaret paused to excogitate the Yiddish word—"write?"

From Ghetto Tragedies by Zangwill, Israel

But they err who excogitate from it those severe dogmas which express only dreams of the imagination and wishes of the religious spirit.

From History of Rationalism Embracing a Survey of the Present State of Protestant Theology by Hurst, J. F. (John Fletcher)