proof of concept

American  

[proof uhv kon-sept] / ˈpruf əv ˈkɒn sɛpt /

noun

1. a small-scale demonstration that a business plan, product in development, etc., is likely to be successful in later stages (often used attributively): The next step is a proof-of-concept clinical trial to evaluate the drug.

   A rough prototype of the device was constructed as proof of concept.

   The next step is a proof-of-concept clinical trial to evaluate the drug.

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proof of concept British  

noun

1. commerce the stage during the development of a product when it is established that the product will function as intended

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Etymology

Origin of proof of concept

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

proof of concept

He presented this as proof of concept that such a thing is possible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

The study establishes proof of concept for using naturally occurring bacteria as a cancer therapy.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

Another young company, Villa Homes, is building a model home in Altadena as proof of concept for its catalog of home designs targeting Southern California fire rebuilding, CEO Sean Roberts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Nvidia’s AI bet achieved proof of concept among the scientific community in 2012.

From MarketWatch ● May 23, 2026

Ernest was willing to assume that he had achieved a proof of concept; verifiable results required only superior detection equipment.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik