Concept
//ˈkɑn.sɛpt// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An abstract and general idea; an abstraction.
- 2 an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances wordnet
- 3 Understanding retained in the mind, from experience, reasoning and imagination; a generalization (generic, basic form), or abstraction (mental impression), of a particular set of instances or occurrences (specific, though different, recorded manifestations of the concept).
"The words conception, concept, notion, should be limited to the thought of what can not be represented in the imagination; as, the thought suggested by a general term."
- 4 A description of supported operations on a type, including their syntax and semantics.
Verb
- 1 To conceive; to dream up.
Example
More examples"To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he always had enough to eat."
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French concept, from Latin conceptus (“a thought, purpose, also a conceiving, etc.”), from concipiō (“to take in, conceive”). Doublet of conceit and concetto. See conceive.
Related phrases
More for "concept"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.