incept

[ in-sept ]

See synonyms for: incepted on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to take in; ingest.

Origin of incept

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin inceptus, past participle of incipere “to begin, undertake,” equivalent to in- “in” + cep- (combining form of cap- “to take”) + -tus past participle suffix; the sense “to take in” by literal translation of prefix and base; see in-², captive

Other words from incept

in·cep·tor, noun

Words Nearby incept

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use incept in a sentence

Tant inde favre ad suffrgia itum11 est, ut tribn incept dsisterent.
Selections from Viri Romae | Charles Franois L'Homond
Neque e magis ab incept Catilna dstitit, sed nfsts sgns Rmam petns Antni exercit opprimitur.
Selections from Viri Romae | Charles Franois L'Homond
Peccant conjuges mortaliter, si copul incept, cohibeant seminationem.
The Priest, The Woman And The Confessional | Father Chiniquy
In Jan. 1527/8, he obtained grace to incept after fourteen years of study.
The Grey Friars in Oxford | Andrew G. Little
Security was therefore demanded from the licentiate that he would incept within a year; and, if he omitted to do so, he was fined.
The Customs of Old England | F. J. Snell

British Dictionary definitions for incept

incept

/ (ɪnˈsɛpt) /

verb(tr)

(of organisms) to ingest (food)
British (formerly) to take a master's or doctor's degree at a university

noun

botany a rudimentary organ

Origin of incept

C19: from Latin inceptus begun, attempted, from incipere to begin, take in hand, from in- ² + capere to take

Derived forms of incept

inceptor, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse