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in·cep·tion

(ĭn-sĕpshən)

The beginning of something, such as an undertaking; a commencement. See Synonyms at origin.

[Middle English incepcion, from Latin inceptiō, inceptiōn-, from inceptus, past participle of incipere, to begin, take up : in-, in; see IN-² + capere, to take; see kap- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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