con·ceive
(kən-sēv́)
[Middle English conceiven, from Old French concevoir, conceiv-, from Latin concipere, com-, intensive pref.; see com–, + capere, to take.]
verb: -ceived, -ceiv·ing, -ceives.
transitive verb
- To become pregnant with (offspring).
- To form or develop in the mind; devise: conceive a plan to increase profits.
- To apprehend mentally; understand: couldn't conceive the meaning of that sentence.
- To be of the opinion that; think: didn't conceive such a tragedy could occur.
- To begin or originate in a specific way: a political movement conceived in the ferment of the 1960s.
intransitive verb
- To form or hold an idea: Ancient peoples conceived of the earth as flat.
- To become pregnant.
derivatives
- con·ceiv́a·biĺi·ty
- noun
- con·ceiv́a·ble
- adjective
- con·ceiv́a·bly
- adverb
- con·ceiv́er
- noun