Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The beginning of something, such as an undertaking; a commencement. synonym: origin.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A taking in, as by swallowing; the process of receiving within.
  • noun The incipient or initial stage; beginning; commencement.
  • noun In entomology, a starting-point; the place of beginning, as of a longitudinal mark, etc.
  • noun The formal qualification of a master of arts in the old universities, preliminary to taking his degree; the solemn act kept by the candidate for the degree of master of arts immediately before receiving the degree; the commencement.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Beginning; commencement; initiation.
  • noun rare Reception; a taking in.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The creation or beginning of something; the establishment.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin inception-, stem of inceptiō, from inceptus, Perfect passive participle of incipiō ("I begin").

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Examples

  • My vote ultimately was for Eric Levine, because CellarTracker as an innovative informational internet tool (and with each passing year so much more, including a forum, commerce, etc) that has burgeoned to over 1 million wine reviews since its inception is both astounding and far-reaching.

    Vote now! Wine Person of the Decade [the Naughties] | Dr Vino's wine blog 2009

  • The mission of Chief Executive Guo Wei, 47, who has been with the company since its inception, is to expand from a simple logistics business into higher-value -- and higher-margin -- services.

    Digital China's IBM-style Ambitions Hana R. Alberts 2010

  • One of Vertigo's functions since its inception is to rethink old DC Comics properties, Roberson says, and after finishing up the Fables spinoff Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love, he pitched several ideas to his editor, Shelly Bond.

    'I, Zombie' is new creature feature from Vertigo Comics 2010

  • TWC has, since its in inception as Wrekin District Council in 1974 (aka Wrecking District Council) been known as an officer ridden authority.

    Revenge of the Telford penguins? 2008

  • Between reception and inception is this automaton intelligence, analysing the data as it comes in, processing it, and firing off response actions.

    Archive 2007-02-01 Hal Duncan 2007

  • Between reception and inception is this automaton intelligence, analysing the data as it comes in, processing it, and firing off response actions.

    The Art of Life Hal Duncan 2007

  • Guadalajara industrialist and state deputy-elect Manuel Villagómez Rodríguez, who has served as the foundation's president since its inception, is renowned as a vocal critic of government programs, policies, officials and private individuals who do not cotton to his ideological stand point.

    A Season Of Hope 2007

  • Guadalajara industrialist and state deputy-elect Manuel Villagómez Rodríguez, who has served as the foundation's president since its inception, is renowned as a vocal critic of government programs, policies, officials and private individuals who do not cotton to his ideological stand point.

    A Season Of Hope 2007

  • Nissan, who has been a corporate sponsor from HEROES inception, is the title sponsor behind this week long tour that starts on day the shows DVD hits store shelves and takes the cast to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Munich, Paris, London and New York.

    Get Ready for a HEROES World Tour | the TV addict 2007

  • The alcoholic inception is reckoned to have occurred when some early farmer sampled water in which bread had been sitting (and fermenting) for a day or two.

    Who Invented Beer? | Impact Lab 2006

Comments

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  • start,origin,commencement,beginning.....

    November 3, 2010

  • I just read the phrase 'intake reception' and thought 'why not just use inception?'

    June 20, 2011