Words / C1

in-SIP-ee-uh-nt/ɪnˈsɪpiənt/

Incipient means just beginning to happen or appear: incipient unrest, an incipient leak. Nascent is the close twin; a damp patch is a maintenance file, not “patina”.

Meaning

Just beginning to appear or develop (formal).

Examples

• “Incipient unrest in the lobby does not lift the embargo.”
• “An incipient leak above the sitting room is a maintenance file, not “patina”.”
• “Nascent is the close twin. Emerging is everyday. Patina is a story. A stain with a date is evidence. Open the log; keep patina for the guidebook.”

Good to know

Just beginning. Close: nascent. A damp patch ≠ patina.

Near in meaning

nascent, emerging

New