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incorporation

American  
[in-kawr-puh-rey-shuhn] / ɪnˌkɔr pəˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of incorporating incorporate or the state of being incorporated. incorporate. incorporated.

  2. the act of forming a legal corporation.

  3. Grammar. the inclusion of the object or object reference within the inflected verb form, a type of word-formation frequent in American Indian languages.

  4. Psychoanalysis. the adoption of the views or characteristics of others, occurring in children as part of learning and maturation and in adults as a defense mechanism.


Other Word Forms

  • interincorporation noun
  • preincorporation noun
  • reincorporation noun

Etymology

Origin of incorporation

1350–1400; Middle English incorporacioun < Late Latin incorporātiōn- (stem of incorporātiō ), equivalent to incorporāt ( us ) ( incorporate 1 ) + -iōn -ion

Explanation

Incorporation is making something part of a whole. The incorporation of egg yolks into a hot liquid must be done slowly so the eggs don't curdle. Incorporation can also refer to making a company a legal corporation, and the "Inc." after many company names stands for "Incorporated." If you're starting a new business, you should look into the laws regarding incorporation in your state, to see if incorporating would make sense for you. When territory is acquired and taken into a larger body, that's also incorporation. The incorporation of your small neighborhood park into the county parks system will help preserve it as a green space.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing incorporation

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.

He envisages huge efficiency gains to be derived from its incorporation into business operations and practices.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026

“Importantly, the incorporation of updated models is improving the relevance of answers, which we view as a further tailwind to engagement.”

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

Migration responds to wage differences and the perceived probability of eventual incorporation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

This patent-pending technology purifies the isotope by removing it from the bismuth target and then loads it onto a shipping column for incorporation into targeted alpha therapy drugs.

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

When a major fire ravaged the old wooden town, he helped to found the Massachusetts Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and his name was first to appear on its charter of incorporation.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell