# concept

/ˈkɑnsɛpt/ (US) · /kˈɒnsɛpt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/concept
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an abstract idea

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a general idea or a principle about how something works.

For teachers: an abstract or general idea derived from specific instances; often used to describe theoretical frameworks.

- The concept of time travel is very popular in science fiction movies.
- The professor introduced the concept of social capital, explaining how networks of relationships can function as a resource within a community.

### 2. a design or model

noun · CEFR B2

a new idea for a product or a building that shows what it might look like.

For teachers: a preliminary design or model intended to demonstrate a new product, vehicle, or architectural project.

- The company showed a concept car that runs entirely on solar energy.
- The architects presented a concept for the new library that prioritised natural light and open communal spaces.

### 3. programming constraint

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a rule in computer programming that describes what a certain type of data can do.

For teachers: a description of supported operations on a type, including their syntax and semantics, used to constrain template arguments.

- The programmer used a concept to make sure the code only accepted numbers.
- By defining a specific concept for the template, the developer ensured that the compiler would catch type mismatches before runtime.

### 4. to dream up

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to think of a new idea or to imagine something.

For teachers: to conceive or develop an initial idea or design; often used in creative industries.

- The team spent the afternoon trying to concept a new marketing campaign.
- The creative director was tasked to concept the entire visual identity of the brand within a single weekend.

## Examples

- The concept of time travel is popular in movies.
- The architect presented a new concept for the city park that focused on sustainable energy and local plants.
- While the mathematical concept is relatively simple to grasp in isolation, applying it to real-world economic models requires a deep understanding of statistical variance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.