beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage: an incipient cold.
Origin: 1580–90; < L incipient- (s. of incipiēns, prp. of incipere to take in hand, begin), equiv. to in-in-2+ -cipi- (comb. form of capi- take) + -ent--ent
Main Entry: in·cip·i·ent Pronunciation: -&nt Function: adjective : beginning to come into being or to become apparent incipient stage of a fever> —in·cip·i·ent·lyadverb