incorporate

1 of 2

verb

in·​cor·​po·​rate in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt 

incorporated; incorporating

transitive verb

1

a

: to unite or work into something already existent so as to form an indistinguishable whole

b

: to blend or combine thoroughly

2

a

: to form into a legal corporation

b

: to admit to membership in a corporate body

3

: to give material form to : embody

intransitive verb

1

: to unite in or as one body

2

: to form or become a corporation

incorporable

in-ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

incorporative

in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrā-tiv 

-p(ə-)rə-tiv

adjective

incorporator

in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

incorporate

2 of 2

adjective

in·​cor·​po·​rate in-ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rət 

: incorporated

Did you know?

From its roots, incorporate means basically "add into a body" or "form into a body". So, for example, a chef might decide to incorporate a couple of new ingredients into an old recipe, and then might incorporate that new item into the restaurant's dinner menu. The restaurant itself was probably incorporated at the beginning, and so is now a corporation—that is, a "body" that's legally allowed to act like a single person in certain ways, even if it may have many individual employees. As you can see, the two meanings turn out to be fairly different.

Synonyms

Verb

• absorb
• assimilate
• co-opt
• embody
• integrate

Examples of incorporate in a Sentence

Verb

This design incorporates the best features of our earlier models.

a diet that incorporates many different fruits and vegetables

The company was incorporated in 1981.

The company incorporated in 1981.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Aptly titled Britney: Piece of Me, the 90-minute show featured over two dozen hits, incorporating classics and fan favorites with the bells and whistles of her typical pop production. —James Dinh, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2024

To keep the audience interested, incorporate current events, share a joke or build on points made by others. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Adjective

This week is all about incorporate powerful plants into your diet, which coincides with meal prep from last week and even contributes to your hydration goals (yes, fruits and veggies are packed with water!). —Good Housekeeping, 6 Jan. 2023

This new exhibition examines how like artists like Eadweard Muybridge, Andy Warhol, Carl Pope Jr., Lorna Simpson and more incorporate photographic images in their work with a focus on the tools, techniques and processes at their disposal. —Joey Morona, cleveland, 17 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Late Latin incorporatus, past participle of incorporare, from Latin in- + corpor-, corpus body — more at midriff

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

incorporate

verb

in·​cor·​po·​rate

in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt

incorporated; incorporating

1

: to unite or combine to form a single whole : blend

2

: to give form to : embody

3

: to form, make into, or become a corporation

incorporate a company

incorporation

-ˌkȯr-pə-ˈrā-shən

noun

incorporator

-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt-ər

noun

Medical Definition

incorporate

transitive verb

in·​cor·​po·​rate in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt 

incorporated; incorporating

: to subject to incorporation

incorporated his psychiatrist in a system of delusions

incorporative

-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt-iv  -p(ə-)rət- 

adjective

Legal Definition

incorporate

verb

in·​cor·​po·​rate in-ˈkȯr-pə-ˌrāt 

incorporated; incorporating

transitive verb

1

: to unite with something else to form a whole

incorporate the agreement into the divorce

2

: to form (as a business) into a legal corporation

3

: to include (rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights) within the guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment see also selective incorporation, total incorporation

intransitive verb

: to form a legal corporation

incorporation

in-ˌkȯr-pə-ˈrā-shən 

noun