Incipient
[in-SIP-ee-ənt]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, late 16th century
1.
In an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.
2.
(Of a person) Developing into a specified type or role.
Examples of Incipient in a sentence
"His incipient excitement built up the week before he started the new job."
"We started out as colleagues, but we're incipient friends."
About Incipient
The meaning of "incipient" changes slightly depending on whether it's being used to describe a thing or a person. For a person, "incipient" means you have the potential to develop into the role. For a thing, "incipient" means it's in the early stages.
Did you Know?
This adjective got its start as a noun in the 16th century. "Incipient" meant "a beginner." Today you could use "novice," "amateur," "apprentice," "initiate," or "recruit" as a noun for someone just starting out.
