concept
/ˈkɒnsɛpt
/noun
1An abstract idea: structuralism is a difficult concept the concept of justice...
- The effect of this is to deny pupils the ability to deal with difficult abstract concepts.
- If this nation has any regard for the abstract concept of ‘justice’ then this practice must end.
- In that profession you start with a blank sheet of paper and a concept or abstract idea.
Synonyms
idea, notion, conception, abstraction, conceptualization;
theory, hypothesis, postulation;
belief, conviction, opinion, view, image, impression, picture
1.1A plan or intention: the centre has kept firmly to its original concept...
- I think the impression of the completed film is the same as the original concept we had planned.
- Formulating a design and a plan, from original concept to finished product, can take up to a week.
- This process engages political processes to translate new concepts and plans into official policy.
1.2An idea or invention to help sell or publicize a commodity: a new concept in corporate hospitality...
- He used good science as the foundation for a public policy solution and good marketing to sell the concept to community leaders.
- These are marketing decisions and I would not presume to know which concepts sell and which are an anathema.
- The concept would then be sold on to a suitable developer.
1.3 [as modifier] (Of a car or other vehicle) produced as an experimental model to test the viability of innovative design features: a concept car for next month’s Geneva motor show...
- Generally, really good concept cars serve as models for much milder production vehicles at some point.
- I have mentioned only a few of the multitude of new vehicles and concept cars that were on display, some of which you may already have seen at last year's Birmingham Motor Show.
- I certainly see there is plenty of good automotive art in this mix of new models and concept wagons.
1.4 Philosophy An idea or mental image which corresponds to some distinct entity or class of entities, or to its essential features, or determines the application of a term (especially a predicate), and thus plays a part in the use of reason or language.Society's use of a term partly determines the concepts of individuals in the society, even of such medically ignorant individuals as Bert....
- The content of the dispositional concept thus presupposes the virtual-color concept.
- It is essential to the concept of belief that there should be differences of opinion, so that we attribute false as well as true beliefs.
Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense 'thought, imagination'): from Latin conceptum 'something conceived', from Latin concept- 'conceived', from concipere (see conceive).