Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “concept” come from?

Concept comes from Middle French concept, from Latin conceptus, the past participle of concipio meaning "to conceive," formed from con- "together" and a root from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- meaning "to seize or take."

concept (English): An abstract and general idea; an abstraction;...

Definitions

  1. An abstract and general idea; an abstraction;...

Ancestry of “concept”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchconcept—
2Latinconceptusreceived, caught; derived from; contained, held
3Latinconcipiō—
4Latincōn-—
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “concept”

  • subconcept
  • concepting
  • conceptless
  • metaconcept
  • pseudoconcept
  • conceptious
  • conceptlessness
  • conceptor
  • microconcept
  • self-concept
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →