Concept

concept
    n 1: an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from
         specific instances [syn: {concept}, {conception},
         {construct}] [ant: {misconception}]
    

Concept \Con"cept\, n. [L. conceptus (cf. neut. conceptum
   fetus), p. p. of concipere to conceive: cf. F. concept. See
   {Conceit}.]
   An abstract general conception; a notion; a universal.
   [1913 Webster]

         The words conception, concept, notion, should be
         limited to the thought of what can not be represented
         in the imagination; as, the thought suggested by a
         general term.                            --Sir W.
                                                  Hamilton.
   [1913 Webster]
    

78 Moby Thesaurus words for "concept":
      Vorstellung, apprehension, assumption, attitude,
      climate of opinion, common belief, community sentiment, conceit,
      conception, conceptualization, conclusion, consensus gentium,
      consideration, eidetic image, envisaging, envisioning, estimate,
      estimation, ethos, eye, fancy, feeling, general belief, idea,
      image, imagery, imagery study, imaging, imagism, imagistic poetry,
      imago, impression, intellection, intellectual object, judgment,
      lifelike image, lights, memory-trace, mental image,
      mental impression, mental picture, mental representation, mind,
      mystique, notion, objectification, observation, opinion,
      perception, personal judgment, picture, picturing, poetic imagery,
      point of view, popular belief, position, posture, presumption,
      prevailing belief, public belief, public opinion, reaction, recept,
      reflection, representation, sentiment, sight, stance, supposition,
      theory, thinking, thought, view, vision, visual image,
      visualization, way of thinking, word-painting