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

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.)

Other Word Forms

• conceptional adjective
• conceptive adjective
• postconception adjective
• reconception 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

Jane Goodall, the trailblazing naturalist whose intimate observations of chimpanzees in the African wild produced powerful insights that transformed basic conceptions of humankind, has died.

From Los Angeles Times

Studies in Norway, the US and Israel found that mothers who took folic acid supplements around conception had children with a 30-70% lower likelihood of autism.

From BBC

His watercolors do give a strong idea of what was originally there, but the full conception remains uncertain.

From Los Angeles Times

Gen Z fans are “fascinated by the idea of being an uncompromising rock band and conquering the world. That’s so far out of anyone’s conception of what’s possible today,” Kirk said.

From Los Angeles Times

After decades of debauchery and an untold number of conceptions, revelers at Burning Man celebrated a rare birth at Black Rock City on Wednesday morning, after a festivalgoer unexpectedly went into labor on the Playa.

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.