conceive
kuhn-SEEV
Conceive (verb) means to become pregnant. Example: “They had been trying to conceive for over a year.”
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- conceives
- Past tense
- conceived
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."
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.
Example sentences
Sentences with a source are quoted from published work. Any opinions in them are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
It took the couple over a year to conceive.
It's hard to conceive of a world without the internet.
They started trying to conceive shortly after the wedding.
Doctors suggested tracking ovulation to help them conceive.
The novelist conceived the plot on a long train journey.
A conception date calculator can work back from a due date, a last period or a scan to give the likely date of conception as a six-day window rather than a single day.
