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Which phrase refers to a concept that exists only in theory?

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concept

American  

[kon-sept] / ˈkɒn sɛpt /

noun

• concepts
  plural

1. a general notion or idea; conception.

2. an idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct.

3. a directly conceived or intuited object of thought.

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adjective

1. functioning as a prototype or model of new product or innovation.

   a concept car,

   a concept phone.

verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to develop a concept of; conceive.

   He concepted and produced three films.

concept British  

/ ˈkɒnsɛpt /

noun

1. an idea, esp an abstract idea

   the concepts of biology

2. philosophy a general idea or notion that corresponds to some class of entities and that consists of the characteristic or essential features of the class

3. philosophy

   1. the conjunction of all the characteristic features of something

   2. a theoretical construct within some theory

   3. a directly intuited object of thought

   4. the meaning of a predicate

4. (modifier) (of a product, esp a car) created as an exercise to demonstrate the technical skills and imagination of the designers, and not intended for mass production or sale

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• concepts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of concept

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin conceptum “something conceived,” originally neuter of conceptus “conceived,” past participle of concipere “to conceive,” equivalent to con- con- ( def. ) + -cipere, combining form of capere “to seize”

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Explanation

A concept is a thought or idea. If you're redecorating your bedroom, you might want to start with a concept, such as "flower garden" or "outer space." It's a general idea about a thing or group of things, derived from specific instances or occurrences. It often applies to a theoretical idea in science: Einstein's contribution to the concept of relativity. Concept was borrowed from Late Latin conceptus, from Latin concipere "to take in, conceive, receive." A concept is an idea conceived in the mind. The original meaning of the verb conceive was to take sperm into the womb, and by a later extension of meaning, to take an idea into the mind.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

concept concepts

As Rod Phillips demonstrates in “Cats: A History”—an encyclopedic study of mankind’s ever-changing perception of felines—the concept of the nonworking housecat is, at the outermost, only 200 years old.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Two words that usually are not put next to each other automatically creates a little bit of a funny feeling, and then you can expand that concept outwards,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

These practical considerations are especially important when moving a promising scientific concept from the laboratory toward real medical applications.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

As a "concept car" intended to show Citroen's direction of travel, it is not yet ready to go on sale but the plan is to have a version in showrooms by 2028.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The discovery of antipodes led straight to the concept of the terraqueous globe; but Copernicanism did not lead directly to the view that all planets shine by reflected light—the telescope had to intervene.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Before these Brewers, who hold a 2-0 lead over the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, those two concepts were essentially the same.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

His thematic concepts and narrative red herrings rely on the viewer’s presence.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

“You’ve got the native language as a scaffold for these young kids who are just beginning to acquire complex concepts, who are just beginning to understand the world around them,” Pompa said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

With further development, the technology could reach timescales relevant to emerging photonic concepts including time crystals and synthetic time-varying optical materials.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

One will then see the simplicity with which these concepts lead to properties already known and to an infinity of others which ordinary geometry does not seem to touch easily.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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Related Words

• approach
• conception
• image
• notion
• perception
• theory
• thought
• view

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