Webster's English Dictionary

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conception

Cross references:
  1. idea                  
 
con.cep.tion \k*n-'sep-sh*n\ \-shn*l, -sh*n-*l\ \-'sep-tiv\ n [ME 
   concepcioun, fr. OF conception, fr. L conception-, con]ceptio, fr. 
   conceptus, pp. of concipere to take in, conceive 1a1: the act of becoming 
   pregnant : the state of being conceived  1a2: EMBRYO, FETUS  archaic  1b: 
   BEGINNING  2a: the function or process of forming or understanding ideas or 
   abstractio ns or their symbols 2b: a general idea : CONCEPT  2c: a complex 
   product of abstract or reflective thinking  2d: the sum of a person's ideas 
   and beliefs concerning something  3: the originating of something in the 
   mind  - con.cep.tion.al aj