English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

conceive

kuhn-SEEV

Conceive (verb) means to become pregnant. Example: “They had been trying to conceive for over a year.”

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
verb
1
To become pregnant.
"They had been trying to conceive for over a year."
2
To form an idea or plan in one's mind; to imagine or devise.
"The architect conceived the design after visiting the site."
"It's hard to conceive how different life was before smartphones."

How to use conceive

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither to become pregnant, or to come up with an idea or plan.

Common pairings
conceive a child conceive an idea conceive of something
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like conceive.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

conceived past tense, conceives singular

Test yourself on “conceive” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They had been trying to _____ for over a year.

Etymology

From Old French concevoir, from Latin concipiō, "to take in, devise, conceive."

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for conceive

See all rhymes for conceive →

Frequently asked questions

What does “conceive” mean?

The word “conceive” means to become pregnant. In plain terms, either to become pregnant, or to come up with an idea or plan.

How do you pronounce “conceive”?

“Conceive” is pronounced kuhn-SEEV (/kənˈsiːv/ in IPA).

How do you use “conceive” in a sentence?

Here is “conceive” used in a sentence: “They had been trying to conceive for over a year.”

What part of speech is “conceive”?

“Conceive” is a verb.

Where does the word “conceive” come from?

The word “conceive” comes from Latin. From Old French concevoir, from Latin concipiō, "to take in, devise, conceive.".

Is “conceive” a common word?

“Conceive” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “conceive” have?

“Conceive” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to become pregnant.

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial