Trivia Time

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

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”

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

Proof of concept for the three-peat chase around the corner?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

“As AI moves from concept to real-world usage across both enterprise and consumer environments, investors appear increasingly willing to reward companies viewed as leaders in deploying and operationalizing AI at scale,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

The authority of the ICJ was built on the precise legal definitions established by figures like Raphael Lemkin, who coined “genocide,” and Sir Hersch Lauterpacht, who helped shaped the concept of “crimes against humanity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Postdoc Kunyang Sui, who developed the mAxialtrode concept together with Associate Professor Christos Markos, says one of the main advantages is that several capabilities can be combined within a single implant.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026

“They say if the glimourie isn’t saved now, it never will be saveable. It’s a concept you humans have always struggled to grasp: that time might run out.”

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Sadly, the $2,000 payment the 82-year-old mother made to her neighbor for clearing her garage is symptomatic of a lapse in judgment about the basic concepts of money, value and reasonableness, compounded by emotion.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

The researchers argue that getting foundational concepts right is important far beyond introductory chemistry courses.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

To give this freer approach some direction, United appear to have established a set of shared tactical principles and concepts.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Ontology refers to “a model defining the core concepts, relationships and rules of the business,” Oracle said yesterday in its announcement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Scientists have their own language of concepts, methods, and numbers.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Related Words

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