ince

Ince is a Turkish word that functions as an adjective and, in its capitalized form, as a surname. As an adjective, ince means thin, slender, fine, or delicate, and it can describe physical attributes as well as more abstract qualities such as refinement or subtlety.

The word forms part of several common Turkish derivatives. For example, incelemek means to examine or study, incelik denotes delicacy or nicety, and inceleme refers to an examination or investigation. The base form can modify nouns in everyday usage, as in phrases describing fine or delicate objects (for instance, a fine thread might be described as ince iplik).

As a surname, İnce is widespread in Turkey and among Turkish communities abroad. A notable person with this surname is Muharrem İnce, a Turkish politician who was a prominent figure in the Republican People’s Party and a candidate in the 2018 presidential election. The surname is distinct in Turkish orthography from the common lowercase adjective ince, which helps distinguish written usage between the word as a descriptor and as a family name.

In usage, the word reflects both concrete and figurative senses, enabling expressions that range from everyday descriptions of physical form to discussions of nuance, subtleness, or refinement in ideas and workmanship. The same root also appears in various compound terms across Turkish, illustrating the versatility of the term within the language.