Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “conception” come from?

Conception derives from Middle English conceptioun, from Old French conception, from Latin conceptio, the noun form of concipere meaning "to take in or become pregnant," from con- "together" and capere "to take," ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root keh₂p-.

conception (English): The act of conceiving; The state of being...

Definitions

  1. The act of conceiving; The state of being...

Ancestry of “conception”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishconcepcioun—
2Old Frenchconceptionconception
3Latinconceptiō—
4Latinconcipiō—
5Latincōn-—
6Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
7Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
8Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
11Middle Englishkyt—
12Germankitt—
13Old High Germankuti—
14Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
15Proto-Germanickweduzresin
16Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
17Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “conception”

  • misconception
  • preconception
  • reconception
  • conceptional
  • periconceptional
  • preconceptional
  • postconception
  • postconceptional
  • conceptionally
  • preconceptionally
  • periconception
  • periconceptionally
  • conceptionalist
  • anticonception
  • superconception
  • self-conception
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →