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incunabulum

incunabulum

9.9
An early example of something in its first form
  • noun
  • /ˌɪn.kjuˈnæb.jə.ləm/
translation icon : incunable
  • The artist's early sketches are considered the incunabulum of her later masterpieces.

Examples

  • This document is an incunabulum of modern scientific thought.

  • Historians studied the incunabulum of the movement to understand its origins.

  • The incunabulum displayed at the museum is fascinating.

  • I found an ancient incunabulum in my grandmother's attic.

  • The artist's early sketches are considered the incunabulum of her later masterpieces.

  • Historians studied the incunabulum of the movement to understand its origins.

  • This document is an incunabulum of modern scientific thought.

Synonyms

incunable
vsincunabulum
9.9

An early, not fully developed example of something

is a general term for an early example in its formative stage

Antonyms

end product
9 3.3

A final thing made after a process, like a machine or medicine

How Developed

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

Surface Forms

incunabulum singular
incunabula plural

Etymology

Incunabulum comes from Latin parts in- 'in' and cunabulum 'cradle', so it literally means 'in the cradle'. A helpful way to remember the second sense is to think of an incunabulum as a thing in its 'cradle' — the very first or formative example of an idea, work, or movement.