Standard Lemma guide

preconception

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpɹiːkənˈsɛpʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌpɹikənˈsɛpʃən/
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /ˌpɹiːkənˈsepʃən/
  • CMU ARPABET: P R IY0 K AH0 N S EH1 P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Preconceptional.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An opinion formed before obtaining adequate evidence, especially as the result of bias or prejudice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A prejudice that prevents rational consideration of an issue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he did not even try to confirm his preconceptions

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prepossession, parti pris, preconceived opinion, preconceived idea, preconceived notion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: opinion, sentiment, persuasion, view, thought

5

noun

Meaning 5

a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bias, prejudice

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: partiality, partisanship

Narrower terms: taboo, tabu, irrational hostility, experimenter bias, homophobia, Islamophobia, racism, tendentiousness

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh2- Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *préh2i? Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae-lbor. Middle English pre- English pre- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Old Latin kapiō Latin capiō ▲ Ancient Greek σῠλλᾰμβᾰ́νω (sŭllămbắnō)calq. Latin concipiō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin conceptiōlbor. Old French conceptionbor. Middle English concepcioun English conception English preconception From pre- + conception.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: предварителна представа (predvaritelna predstava) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Chinese Mandarin: 預想 /预想 (yùxiǎng) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Dutch: vooroordeel — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Finnish: ennakkokäsitys — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Finnish: ennakkoluulo — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • French: préconception — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • German: Vorurteil — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Ancient Greek: πρόληψις (prólēpsis) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Japanese: 予想 (yosō) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Latvian: aizspriedums — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Russian: предвзя́тость (predvzjátostʹ) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Russian: предубежде́ние (predubeždénije) — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Spanish: preconcepción — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Spanish: preconcepto — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence
  • Spanish: noción preconcebida — an opinion considered beforehand with adequate evidence