Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INCHOATE

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: Something that's just now beginning to develop is inchoate, a word with a fuzzy history that probably is based on Latin words for "strap" and "in." Inchoate things are, etymologically, hitched up and ready to go. So when you pick inchoate to mean "in an early stage," you may be relying on the metaphor of a yoke. And when you pick ger___al, which also means "in an early stage," you're relying instead on the metaphor of a bud or a sprout. make your point with... "INCHOATE" Something inchoate is just now starting, so it's in an early stage and isn't well-developed or organized yet. Pronunciation: in KO it Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an inchoate thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was inchoate.") Other forms: None are in common use. How to use it: Often, but not always, "inchoate" has a negative tone. To call something inchoate is often to hint that it's messy, disorganized, or vague. Talk about inchoate ideas and plans, inchoate desires, inchoate feelings and perceptions (especially "inchoate rage" and "inchoate suspicions"), inchoate combinations and fusions, inchoate results, etc. Or, say that something is in an inchoate form, state, stage, or phase. examples: The back yard hasn't been landscaped yet, and their vision for it is still inchoate. When seniors work with me on their college admissions essays, they usually bring in an inchoate draft, a first stab at the topic that needs to be reconsidered; we'd just be wasting time if we went in there to edit word by word. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "inchoate" means when you can explain it without saying "vaguely formed" or "in an early phase." try it out: What's something that's just now starting to make you afraid, angry, happy, or satisfied? Fill in the blanks: "_____ gives me an inchoate sense of (fear, anger, joy, or satisfaction)." Example: "Taylor's eagerness to learn the names of things gives me an inchoate sense of satisfaction. If she's curious about words, we're doing something right." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.  We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy! Yesterday, you took the letters NPSTAEIO and arranged them into as many 2-, 3-, or 4-letter words as possible within a 4x4 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two: Both solutions above yielded 8 words. It's best to get into all 4 corners! The goal, again, is to maximize the number of words you can fit into the grid. Try it today with the letters DLMSAEIU. Draw three vertical and three horizontal lines on some scrap paper, and go for it! review today's word: 1. The opposite of INCHOATE is A. CHAOTIC B. PERFECTED C. RUDIMENTARY 2. Her inchoate rage _____ in her first album and _____ in her second. A. infused every well-chosen word .. became less targeted B. carried a sharp, precise political flavor .. more of a social and personal one C. grabbed the nation's attention  .. developed into a coherent list of grievances Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C