conception

[ kuhn-sep-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of conceiving; the state of being conceived.
2. fertilization; inception of pregnancy.
3. a notion; idea; concept:

   She has some odd conceptions about life.

4. something that is conceived:

   That machine is the conception of a genius.

5. origination; beginning:

   The organization has been beset by problems from its conception.

6. a design; plan.
7. a sketch of something not actually existing:

   an artist's conception of ancient Athens.

8. the act or power of forming notions, ideas, or concepts.

conception

/ kənˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. something conceived; notion, idea, design, or plan
2. the description under which someone considers something

   her conception of freedom is wrong

3. the fertilization of an ovum by a sperm in the Fallopian tube followed by implantation in the womb
4. origin or beginning

   from its conception the plan was a failure

5. the act or power of forming notions; invention

conception

/ kən-sĕp′shən /

1. The formation of a zygote resulting from the union of a sperm and egg cell; fertilization.

conception

1. Fertilization ; the union of the sperm and ovum to form a zygote . ( See reproductive systems .)

Derived Forms

• conˈceptional, adjective

Other Words From

• con·ception·al adjective
• con·ceptive adjective
• postcon·ception adjective
• recon·ception noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conception¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English concepcion from Latin conceptiōn- (stem of conceptiō ), equivalent to Latin concept- ( concept ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of conception¹

C13: from Latin conceptiō, from concipere to conceive

Example Sentences

The popular conception of gulls is not the most flattering.

From Salon

The musical, in the words of the published script, “was written as a Japanese conception of what a Broadway musical might be as conceived from the traditional Japanese theatrical viewpoint.”

From Los Angeles Times

Reporters scoured death data, flagging Barnica’s case for its concerning cause of death: “sepsis” involving “products of conception.”

From Salon

We supplemented it with the latest research and continue to supplement it with research coming in, especially some research that ran counter to our original conception.

From Salon

Filmmaker Elizabeth Ai, pregnant during the conception of the project, had been “grasping at straws” for how she would highlight stories about her ancestral inheritance for her unborn baby.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appreciation
• conceit
• concept
• impression
• interpretation
• notion
• perception
• realization

When To Use

What are other ways to say conception?

A conception is a notion or idea that seems complete, individual, or somewhat intricate. Do you know when to use conception, thought, idea, and notion? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.