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incunable

incunable

9.9
An early, not fully developed example of something
  • noun
  • /ˌɪnkjʊˈneɪl/
translation icon : incunable
  • Her first novel was an incunable of the literary style she later perfected.

Examples

  • Many startups are considered incunables in their industry.

  • The new technology is still an incunable and will need years of development.

  • The project remains an incunable, with many details yet to be worked out.

  • This project is still in its incunable phase.

  • The new artist's work is an incunable of expressionism, showcasing her undeveloped style.

  • His initial attempts at coding were truly an incunable, laying the groundwork for his future projects.

  • This prototype is just an incunable of what we hope to achieve in the final design.

Synonyms

incunabulum
vsincunable
9.9

An early example of something in its first form

is the same in meaning but differs only in written form

How Developed

finished
  • Specialized
1 1.0
model
  • Specialized
905 3.9
to prototype
1 4.2
incunable
9.9
embryo
  • Specialized
94 4.0
seed
154 4.9

Surface Forms

incunable singular
incunables plural

Etymology

Incunable comes from the Latin incunabulum, which meant 'cradle' or 'infancy'. So an incunable names a thing in its beginning stage — a first or rudimentary example of something.