excogitate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
    formulate; devise; contrive; invent; forge.
    • excogitate a way to measure the speed of light
  2. verb reflect deeply on a subject
    ponder; ruminate; mull; muse; think over; reflect; contemplate; meditate; chew over; mull over; speculate.
    • I mulled over the events of the afternoon
    • philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years
    • The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate

WordNet

Ex*cog"i*tate transitive verb
Etymology
L. excogitatus, p. p. of excogitare to excogitate; ex out + cogitare to think. See Cogitate.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Excogitated present participle & verbal noun Excogitating
Definitions
  1. To think out; to find out or discover by thinking; to devise; to contrive. "Excogitate strange arts." Stirling.
    This evidence . . . thus excogitated out of the general theory. Whewell.
Ex*cog"i*tate intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cogitate. R. Bacon.

Webster 1913