inception

American  

[in-sep-shuhn] / ɪnˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

• inceptions
  plural

1. beginning; start; commencement.

   Synonyms:

   conception, root, source, outset, origin

2. British.

   1. the act of graduating or earning a university degree, usually a master's or doctor's degree, especially at Cambridge University.

   2. the graduation ceremony; commencement.

3. (in science fiction) the act of instilling an idea into someone's mind by entering their dreams.

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inception British  

/ ɪnˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the beginning, as of a project or undertaking

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• inceptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of inception

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English incepcion, from Latin inceptiōn- (stem of inceptiō ), equivalent to incept(us) “begun” ( see incept) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

The inception is the beginning. Since its inception, Wikipedia has been created by its users. Inception sounds like conception, but their meanings are distinct. Conception usually refers to the moment of becoming pregnant. Inception refers more to the beginning, to entering upon an undertaking. Inception implies the start of a specific thing like a campaign or a company. Subsequent events take place after the inception. At the moment of conception, most women are at the inception of motherhood.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inception inceptions

Alex Kurtzman, the veteran showrunner and producer that has helped usher “Star Trek” into the streaming era, reaffirms that the original series was political since its inception.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Since the inception of the United States of America, states have controlled their elections.

From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026

In the eight years from the campaign's inception in 1966 until 1974 when it levelled off, Greenland's fertility rate plunged from seven children per woman to 2.3.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Imagination Library claims 300 million books gifted since its inception.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

“My system goes back to the inception of the circus,” Marco says.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

While Fleiss has been the face of the “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette” and other spinoffs since the shows’ inceptions, trade publications report he hasn’t led day-to-day operations in around a decade.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 28, 2023

Open—has been intimately involved in both projects since their inceptions earlier in the decade.

From Golf Digest ● Feb. 3, 2018

This early phase, from its earliest inceptions in the 1960s until 2000, is what J.G. Palfrey, the former executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, calls the Open Internet.

From The Verge ● Apr. 13, 2016

Performance of the funds hasn’t kept up with the market, trailing their benchmarks since their inceptions.

From BusinessWeek ● Jan. 13, 2012

It was as though some transitory flashes of artistic power in the minds of prehistoric artists were struggling with an inability to give adequate expression to their inceptions.

From Engraving for Illustration Historical and Practical Notes by Joseph Kirkbride

Related Words

• initiation
• outset