inception

/ɪnˈsepʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈsepʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈsep-shən/ (ame, mw)

inception — noun

1. the point in time when an organization, company, project, or system first starts

1.名詞B2
釋義

the point in time when an organization, company, project, or system first starts to exist or operate

例句

The non-profit has assisted over two thousand families since its inception in 2015.

pattern: 'since its inception' for duration from start

Rohan has been the lead architect on the project since its inception.

collocation: 'since its inception' with professional role

同義詞
  • beginning

    much more common in everyday speech; works for any type of start, not just formal ones

  • commencement

    similarly formal, but more often used for events and ceremonies than for organizations

  • foundation

    emphasises the act of establishing something lasting, such as a school or institution

  • origin

    focuses on the source or cause of something rather than the precise starting moment

反義詞
  • end

    the opposite of any point of beginning

  • conclusion

    the formal end of a process or activity

  • termination

    the formal ending of an organization or agreement

文法句型

the inception of [something]

since its inception

at the inception of [something]

用法筆記

Almost always used with a possessive determiner or 'the' before it, followed by an 'of' phrase specifying what started. Typically refers to formal organizations, institutions, or systematic activities rather than everyday events or natural phenomena.

常見錯誤

❌The inception of the movie was boring.
✅The beginning of the movie was boring.
💡'Inception' refers to the start of an organization or official activity, not the start of a film or story.
❌From inception, we knew it would succeed.
✅From the inception of the project, we knew it would succeed.
💡'Inception' usually requires a determiner ('the', 'its') and an 'of' phrase to specify what started.