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Meaning & use

concept

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˈkɒnsept/
US/ˈkɑːnsept/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    An abstract idea that sums up a group of related things or qualities.

    Grammar: Countable and often followed by of: the concept of fairness.

    Patterns

    • the concept of something
    • a concept in something

    Children slowly learn the concept of fairness.

    Gravity is a difficult concept for young learners.

    The concept of time differs between cultures.

  2. nouncountablebusiness

    An early plan or main idea for a product, event or creative work.

    Grammar: Countable: a new concept for a restaurant.

    Patterns

    • a concept for something
    • concept car
    • concept art

    The designers presented a bold concept for the new store.

    The film's concept came from a dream the writer had.

    The carmaker showed a concept that may never be built.

  3. nounsingular

    A general understanding or grasp of what something is.

    Grammar: Often used in the negative: no concept of danger.

    Patterns

    • have no concept of something

    He has no concept of how much the trip will cost.

    Toddlers have little concept of danger.

    She had no concept of how big the city was.

Word forms

pluralconcepts

Common combinations

a basic concept
Percentages are a basic concept in math.
grasp a concept
It took the class a week to grasp the concept.
the concept of
The concept of freedom is central to the book.
a new concept
The cafe is a new concept in dining.
abstract concept
Justice is an abstract concept.
proof of concept
The prototype was a proof of concept.

Synonyms and how they differ

idea
Idea is the everyday word for any thought or plan, while concept is more abstract and used in study or design.
notion
Notion suggests a vague or personal belief and may sound doubtful, unlike the more solid concept.
theory
Theory is an explanation backed by reasoning or evidence, but a concept is only an idea or category.
principle
Principle is a rule or basic truth that guides action, whereas concept is simply an idea.

Opposites

realityfact

Word family

conceptual adjective
relating to ideas
conceptually adverb
in terms of ideas
conceptualize verb
to form an idea of something
conception noun
the forming of an idea, or the start of pregnancy

Commonly confused: concept or conception?

concept vs conception

Conception means an idea or understanding, or the moment pregnancy begins. Concept is the idea itself.

Practice

Many young children struggle with the ____ of saving money for later.

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