begrep

Begrep (plural begrepp in Swedish; begrep in Norwegian) is a term used in philosophy, linguistics and education to denote a unit of meaning or a mental representation of a class of objects or ideas. A begrepp is the abstract concept that allows speakers to group objects under a common label and to reason about their properties and relations. In everyday language it can correspond to the English word concept or notion. In linguistics, the term highlights the distinction between the linguistic expression (the word or term) and the underlying concept (the begrepp) it evokes.

In philosophy, begrepp refers to universal or abstract entities that may exist in thought, as opposed to particular instances. The study of how begrepp are formed, learned and communicated is central to cognitive science and education, including how new concepts emerge or existing concepts change meaning—conceptual change—as knowledge advances.

Etymology: the word derives from Germanic roots involving grasping or taking hold, linked to the sense of grasping an idea. In Swedish the form begrepp is standard; in Norwegian Bokmål the form begrep is common, with begrepp also used in some contexts.

See also: semantics, concept, term, taxonomy, conceptual change, cognitive linguistics, philosophy of language.