conception

noun con·cep·tion \ kən-ˈsep-shən \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: conception in a Sentence

Definition of conception

1 a (1) : the process of becoming pregnant involving fertilization or implantation or both

(2) : embryo, fetus

b : beginning

"Joy had the like conception in our eyes … "
—William Shakespeare

2 a : the capacity, function, or process of forming or understanding ideas or abstractions or their symbols

He directed the project from conception to completion.

b : a general idea : concept

We get the conception of an animal … by comparing different animals …
—John Stuart Mill

c : a complex product of abstract or reflective thinking

the philosopher's conception of reality

d : the sum of a person's ideas and beliefs concerning something

his conception of the American dream

3 : the originating of something in the mind

an artist's conception of how the city would look a hundred years from now

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conceptional

play \kən-ˈsep-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

—

conceptive

play \kən-ˈsep-tiv\ adjective

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Examples of conception in a Sentence

He directed the project from conception to production.
the conception of a new device
They have a clear conception of how the process works.
a child's conception of responsibility
They have very different conceptions of the proper role of government.

Recent Examples of conception from the Web

Inside Out rewrites the movie’s conception of childhood by eschewing the reliance on expulsion or parental absence.

— refinery29.com, "The Subtle Reason Why Pixar Movies Differ From The Disney Classics Of Yore," 15 June 2018
In the popular conception, almost all great teams are alike in possessing it.

— ben rowen, The Atlantic, "Finding the Formula for Team Chemistry," 15 June 2018
The referendum in the largely Roman Catholic country will decide whether to repeal a constitutional amendment, in place since 1983, that protects the life of fetuses from the moment of conception.

— gregg re, Fox News, "Voting underway on Ireland's abortion referendum," 25 May 2018
The amendment requires authorities to equally protect the right to life of a mother and that of a fetus, from the moment of conception.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Referendum in Ireland could lift strict ban on abortion," 25 May 2018
The shows she's staged over the last three years aim to stretch traditional conceptions of ceramic work.

— leah ollman, latimes.com, "Ceramic art, once written off as mere craft, wins a brighter spotlight in the L.A. scene," 25 Apr. 2018
Davis, a former editor at Essence and Vibe, first became aware of the limited conception of black beauty in mainstream culture as a young woman whose hair was naturally nappy and blond.

— sarah maslin nir, Town & Country, "Strands of Truth: Hair, Self-Expression, and Identity," 23 Apr. 2018
Unfortunately, the conception of Kelly as a serious moral counterbalance to his boss is long gone.

— benjamin hart, Daily Intelligencer, "Report: Kelly Blew Up at Trump in Oval Office, May Have Threatened to Quit," 7 Apr. 2018
In the popular conception, a concussion occurs when the cranium comes to a sudden stop and the brain crashes into it, like a car driver flying into the dashboard.

— adrian cho, Science | AAAS, "Concussions originate from ringing deep inside the brain, modeling suggests," 30 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conception.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of conception

Middle English concepcioun, from Anglo-French concepcion, from Latin conception-, conceptio, from concipere — see ¹concept

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

See Words from the same year

conception Synonyms

Synonyms

abstraction, cogitation, concept, idea, image, impression, intellection, mind's eye, notion, picture, thought;

Near Antonyms

actuality, fact, reality;

preconception, prejudice, prepossession;

delusion, hallucination, illusion, phantasm (also fantasm);

caprice, conceit, fancy, vagary, whim;

cognition, observation, perception, reflection;

assumption, belief, conclusion, conviction;

conjecture, guess, hunch, hypothesis, speculation, supposition, surmise, theory;

brainchild, brainstorm, brain wave, inspiration;

Synonym Discussion of conception

idea, concept, conception, thought, notion, impression mean what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan). idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.