ˈkänˌsept noun
( -s )
Etymology: Late Latin conceptus thought, from Latin, collection, gathering, fetus, from conceptus, past participle of concipere to conceive — more at conceive
: something conceived in the mind : thought , idea , notion : as
a. philosophy : a general or abstract idea : a universal notion:
(1) : the resultant of a generalizing mental operation : a generic mental image abstracted from percepts ; also : a directly intuited object of thought
(2) : a theoretical construct
the concept of the atom
b. logic
(1) : an idea comprehending the essential attributes of a class or logical species : a universal term or expression or its meaning
(2) : a propositional function, logical relation, or property
c. : an idea that includes all that is characteristically associated with or suggested by a term : conception
Synonyms: see idea