conceptual
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to concepts or to the forming of concepts.
adjective
-
relating to or concerned with concepts; abstract
-
concerned with the definitions or relations of the concepts of some field of enquiry rather than with the facts
Other Word Forms
- conceptuality noun
- conceptually adverb
- nonconceptual adjective
- postconceptual adjective
- unconceptual adjective
Etymology
Origin of conceptual
First recorded in 1655–65; Medieval Latin conceptuālis; conceptus, -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But first, those who bet on Polymarket that the Surge would return to a conceptual lead item on March 21 can collect their winnings.
From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026
In a world of limited resources, many state education departments are trading one requirement for the other as they give priority to the practical over the conceptual.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
While generative AI can produce smooth, convincing language, it does not yet demonstrate the same level of conceptual understanding.
From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026
Pondering her return to sculpture after several decades as an acclaimed performance and conceptual artist, Fraser notes that the L.A. artists in this year’s biennial are united by the intersection of conceptual art and craft.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
People accustomed to keeping domesticated animals lacked the conceptual tools to recognize that the Indians were practicing a more distant kind of husbandry of their own.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.