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conception definition

con·cep·tion (kən sep′s̸hən)

noun

  1. a conceiving or being conceived
  2. that which is conceived; specif., an embryo or fetus
  3. the beginning of some process, chain of events, etc.
  4. the act, process, or power of conceiving mentally; formulation of ideas, esp. of abstractions
  5. a mental impression; general notion; concept
  6. an original idea, design, plan, etc.

Etymology: ME concepcioun < OFr conception < L conceptio, a comprehending, conception < conceptus: see conceive

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical conception definition - medical

conception Synonyms

conception

n.

  1. The act of conceiving mentally

    apprehension, comprehension, imagining, speculating, conceptualization, originating, devising, formulating, bethinking, dreaming, cogitating, deliberating, fancying, philosophizing, realization, considering, musing, speculation, envisaging, understanding, cognition, perception, mental grasp, apperception, formulation of an idea, formulation of a principle, formulation of a mental image, hatching; see also thought 1.

  2. The act of conceiving physically

    inception, impregnation, insemination; see fertilization 2.

  3. A mental image

    representation, impression, idea, notion; see opinion 1, thought 2.

  4. Something that is conceived

    original idea, design, plan, interpretation; see interpretation 2, plan 2. See syn. study at idea.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

conception Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • mathematics: In the case study we witness Randy working on these new ideas and fitting them with his former conceptions of mathematics.

Converse of object

  • assist: Information: Several cases of children born from assisted conception developing tumors have come to light.

Adjective modifier

  • virginal: But that is quite unlike the accounts of the virginal conception in the Gospels.

Noun used with modifier

  • materialist: This was established under a materialist conception of history.
conception usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

conception quotes

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be for thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

-Bible (Old Testament)

The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of thesituation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true. The specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error.

-Merton, Robert King

Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, since no definite answerscan, asa rule, be knowntobetrue, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves; because these questions enlarge our conception of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagination, and diminish the dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation; but above all because, through the greatness of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind also is rendered great, and becomes capable of that union with the universe which constitutes its highest good.

-Russell, Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl

conception quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"conception." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/conception>

APA Style

conception. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/conception

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