conceive
pronunciation
How to pronounce conceive in British English:
UK [kənˈsiːv]
How to pronounce conceive in American English:
US [kənˈsiːv]
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- Verb:
- have the idea for
- judge or regard; look upon; judge
- become pregnant; undergo conception
Word Origin
- conceive
- conceive: [13] Conceive is one of a number of English words (deceive, perceive, and receive are others) whose immediate source is the Old French morpheme -ceiv-. This goes back ultimately to Latin capere ‘take’ (source of English capture), which when prefixed became -cipere. In the case of conceive, the compound verb was concipere, where the prefix com- had an intensive force; it meant generally ‘take to oneself’, and hence either ‘take into the mind, absorb mentally’ or ‘become pregnant’ – meanings transmitted via Old French conceivre to English conceive.The noun conceit [14] is an English formation, based on the models of deceit and receipt. Conception [13], however, goes back to the Latin derivative conceptiō.=> capture, conceit, conception, deceive, perceive, receive
- conceive (v.)
- late 13c., conceiven, "take (seed) into the womb, become pregnant," from stem of Old French conceveir (Modern French concevoir), from Latin concipere (past participle conceptus) "to take in and hold; become pregnant," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + comb. form of capere "to take," from PIE *kap- "to grasp" (see capable). Meaning "take into the mind" is from mid-14c., a figurative sense also found in the Old French and Latin words. Related: Conceived; conceiving.
Example
- 1. Want to conceive twins naturally without the dangers of fertility drugs ?
- 2. The research could explain why so many couples with no apparent reproductive problems are unable to conceive .
- 3. Should parents who conceive using donated eggs or sperm be equally open about their children 's genetic origins ?
- 4. The recommendation for women over 35 is to begin testing after trying to conceive unsuccessfully for 6 months .
- 5. It 's hard to conceive of a more egregious betrayal .