concep

Concep is not listed as a separate word in standard English dictionaries. It is most often encountered as an incomplete or misspelled form of the word concept, particularly when a final “t” is dropped at the end of a line or in rapid typing. OCR (optical character recognition) software and spell-checkers frequently treat “concep” as a probable error for “concept.” In many texts, therefore, seeing “concep” should prompt a check for a typographical mistake unless there is a deliberate reason for the shortened form.

Etymology and meaning: The intended word is concept, which derives from the Latin conceptus meaning “taken together, conceived,” from the verb concipere “to take in, conceive.” There is no separate etymology for “concep” because it is not recognized as a standalone term. The meaning of the standard word remains: a general idea, notion, or abstract principle that represents a mental representation of something.

Usage and context: In normal prose, writers should replace “concep” with “concept.” When encountered in edited work, it is typically treated as a typo. In rare cases, “Concep” may appear as a stylized name, acronym, or abbreviation chosen by an author or organization, but such uses are nonstandard and should be clearly defined to avoid confusion.

See also: concept, conception, conceptual.