SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
embryonic
adjective
At a very early stage of development.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
At an early stage
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRudimentary emphasizes limited development; embryonic emphasizes an early stage with further development possible.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See embryonic in use
The plan was still embryonic when the group began discussing it.
The proposed campus storytelling festival was still embryonic when Ivo joined the planning group: it had a name and a few interested volunteers, but no schedule.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license