Word
conception
Phoneticscon·cep·tion
US/kənˈsɛpʃən/
UK/kənsˈɛpʃən/
Definitions
01an idea or understanding
n. an idea of what something is like, or the ability to understand something.
n. the formation of an abstract idea or a mental representation of something; the capacity to grasp a concept.
“He has no clear conception of how much work the project will take.”
“The public's conception of privacy has shifted significantly since the advent of social media and ubiquitous data collection.”
Academic
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'of'.
Synonyms
02the start of a plan
n. the very beginning of a project, plan, or design.
n. the point at which a plan or project is first formulated or begins to exist.
“The architect was involved in the building's design from its conception.”
“From its initial conception in a small laboratory to its global rollout, the vaccine development process was unprecedented in speed.”
Formal
Antonyms
03becoming pregnant
n. the moment when a woman or female animal becomes pregnant.
n. the process of fertilisation where an egg and sperm join to begin a pregnancy.
“The doctor explained what happens in the days following conception.”
“The study examined various environmental factors that might influence the success of conception in older couples.”
Technical
Usage
Used as an uncountable noun in general medical contexts, but countable when referring to specific instances.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The research suggests that an individual's biology may reflect more than the DNA inherited at conception.” “At 6-foot-4-inches, Carlos Espi represents Mourinho’s conception of the number-9 role.” Etymology
From Middle English concepcioun, borrowed from Old French conception, from Latin conceptiō (“a comprehending, a collection, composition, an expression, also a becoming pregnant”), from concipiō, past participle conceptus (“conceive”); see conceive. Equivalent to conceive + -tion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/conception