conception

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The fertilization of an ovum by a sperm to form a zygote.

   Some powers diuine, or els infernall, mixt Their angry ſeedes at his conception: For he was neuer ſprong of humaine race, Since with the ſpirit of his fearefull pride, He dares so doubtleſly reſolue of rule.

2. 2
   noun

   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.

   What the school books say about the united efforts of the two great Rossums is all a fairy tale. They used to have dreadful rows. The old atheist hadn't the slightest conception of industrial matters, and the end of it was that young Rossum shut him up in some laboratory or other and let him fritter the time away with his monstrosities, while he himself started on the business from an engineer's point of view.

3. 3
   noun

   An image, idea, or notion formed in the mind; a concept, plan or design.

   Elegant brick and stone buildings, with iron and glass canopies and decorative wooden scalloping and fencing—all evidencing care on the part of the architect to produce a pleasing, well-planned building—were submerged beneath a profusion of ill-conceived additions and camouflaged by vulgar paint schemes; and the original conception was lost.

4. 4
   noun

   Something conceived or designed.

   1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados The figure was placed on a low pedestal, sufficiently raised from the carpet on four plain wooden legs for all the space underneath to be clearly visible. The body was a squat, cross-legged conception, typical of an Indian deity […]

5. 5
   noun

   the act of becoming pregnant

6. 6
   noun

   the creation of something in the mind

7. 7
   noun

   an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances

8. 8
   noun

   the event that occurred at the beginning of something

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Old Latin kapiō Latin capiō Ancient Greek σῠλλᾰμβᾰ́νω (sŭllămbắnō)calq. Latin concipiō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin conceptiōbor. Old French conceptionbor. Middle English concepcioun English conception From Middle English concepcioun, borrowed from Old French conception, from Latin conceptiō (“a comprehending, a collection, composition, an express…