Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Conception

Con-cep′tion

,
Noun.
[F.
conception
, L.
conceptio
, fr.
concipere
to conceive. See
Conceive
.]
1.
The act of conceiving in the womb; the initiation of an embryonic animal life.
I will greaty multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception
.
Gen. iii. 16.
2.
The state of being conceived; beginning.
Joy had the like
conception
in our eyes.
Shakespeare
3.
The power or faculty of apprehending of forming an idea in the mind; the power of recalling a past sensation or perception.
Under the article of
conception
, I shall confine myself to that faculty whose province it is to enable us to form a notion of our past sensations, or of the objects of sense that we have formerly perceived.
Stewart.
4.
The formation in the mind of an image, idea, or notion, apprehension.
Conception
consists in a conscious act of the understanding, bringing any given object or impression into the same class with any number of other objects or impression, by means of some character or characters common to them all.
Coleridge.
5.
The image, idea, or notion of any action or thing which is formed in the mind; a concept; a notion; a universal; the product of a rational belief or judgment. See
Concept
.
He [Herodotus] says that the sun draws or attracts the water; a metaphorical term obviously intended to denote some more general and abstract
conception
than that of the visible operation which the word primarily signifies.
Whewell.
6.
Idea; purpose; design.
Note this dangerous
conception
.
Shakespeare
7.
Conceit; affected sentiment or thought.
[Obs.]
Syn. – Idea; notion; perception; apprehemsion; comprehension.

Webster 1828 Edition

Conception

CONCEPTION

,
Noun.
[L., See Conceive.]
1.
The act of conceiving; the first formation of the embryo or fetus of an animal.
I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. Genesis 3.
2.
The state of being conceived.
Joy had the like conception in our eyes.
3.
In pneumatology, apprehension of nay thing by the mind; the act of conceiving in the mind; that mental act or combination of acts by which an idea or notion is formed of an absent object of perception, or of a sensation formerly felt. When we see an object with our eyes open, we have a perception of it; when the same object is presented to the mind with the eyes shut, in idea only or in memory, we have a conception of it.
4.
Conception may be sometimes used for the power of conceiving ideas, as when we say, a thing is not within our conception. Some writers have defined conception as a distinct faculty of the mind; but it is considered by others as memory, and perhaps with propriety.
5.
Purpose conceived; conception with reference to the performance of an act.
6.
Apprehension; knowledge.
And as if beasts conceived what reason were, and that conception should distinctly show.
7.
Conceit; affected sentiment, or thought.
He is too full of conceptions, points of epigram, and witticisms.

Definition 2024

conception

conception

English

Noun

conception ‎(plural conceptions)

  1. The act of conceiving.
  2. The state of being conceived; the beginning.
  3. The fertilization of an ovum by a sperm to form a zygote.
  4. The start of pregnancy.
  5. The formation of a conceptus or an implanted embryo.
  6. The power or faculty of apprehending of forming an idea in the mind; the power of recalling a past sensation or perception; the ability to form mental abstractions.
  7. An image, idea, or notion formed in the mind; a concept, plan or design.

Quotations

  • 1611, Bible (KJV):, Genesis 3:16
    Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception [transl. הרון]; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Coordinate terms

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

See also

References

  • conception in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
  • conception in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conceptio ‎(“comprehension, understanding”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔ̃.kəp.sjɔ̃/

Noun

conception f ‎(plural conceptions)

  1. conception (of a child)
  2. conception (beginning, start)
  3. ability to understand
  4. viewpoint; angle
  5. concept, idea

Related terms

Old French

Alternative forms

  • concepcion

Noun

conception f ‎(oblique plural conceptions, nominative singular conception, nominative plural conceptions)

  1. conception (of a child)
    • 1303, Bernard de Gordon, Fleur de lis de medecine (a.k.a. lilium medicine):
      Et sont retenus naturellement comme en concepcion
      And they [menses] are naturally retained in the case of conception

Etymology

From Middle English conceptioun, from Old French conception, from Latin conceptio ‎(“a comprehending, a collection, composition, an expression, also a becoming pregnant”), from concipere, past participle conceptus ‎(“conceive”); see conceive.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kənˈsɛpʃən/

Similar Results