preconception
Americannoun
-
an idea or opinion formed beforehand
-
a bias; prejudice
Other Word Forms
- preconceptional adjective
Etymology
Origin of preconception
First recorded in 1615–25; pre- + conception
Explanation
A preconception is an idea or opinion you have about something before you really know much about it. You might have the preconception that all New Yorkers are rude until you visit the city and start meeting friendly people. Imagine you give your friend an assessment of a popular TV show, saying, "Oh, it's so boring!" despite the fact that you've never seen it. Your negative opinion of the show is a preconception — you may be correct about the show, but you won't know until you actually sit down a watch a few episodes. Preconception comes from pre, "before," and the Latin concipere, "to take in and hold."
Vocabulary lists containing preconception
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: pre-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Primates
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 5)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With a subject that can be as dark as this, I know some people aren’t ready to hear it or have a preconception of what the show will be.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Historian David Olusoga, as a heavyweight intellect, will likely face the same preconception struggle as Fry, she says.
From BBC • May 14, 2025
The study, published this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, also noted an association between preconception exposure to phthalates and changes in women's reproductive hormones, as well as increased inflammation and oxidative stress.
From Science Daily • Dec. 15, 2023
“I do know there’s this preconception that the festival is a little more of a film nerd thing,” Huntsinger says.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2023
Then there are others where fable, myth, preconception, love, longing, or prejudice step in and so distort a cool, clear appraisal that a kind of high-colored magical confusion takes permanent hold.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
