The word incept is a verb that means to begin, start, or take in and absorb something . It comes from the Latin word incipere, meaning to begin or undertake. While its noun form, inception, is common, the base verb is used in a few specific ways. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Meanings of Incept
- To Begin: To start or initiate a project, process, or organization.
- To Ingest: To take in, absorb, or receive substances (like food or nutrients) into a living organism.
- Academic Tradition: An old British university term (mainly at Oxford or Cambridge) to graduate or receive a master’s or higher degree with the right to teach.
- Pop Culture/Slang: To plant an idea secretly in someone’s mind so they think it is their own idea, popularized by the movie Inception.
(Contributed by Michael Kelly, H.W.)