different between conception vs acquaintance

English

Etymology

From Middle English concepcioun, borrowed from Old French conception, from Latin concepti? (“a comprehending, a collection, composition, an expression, also a becoming pregnant”), from concipi?, past participle conceptus (“conceive”); see conceive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?s?p??n/

Noun

conception (countable and uncountable, plural conceptions)

1. The act of conceiving.
2. The state of being conceived; the beginning.
3. The fertilization of an ovum by a sperm to form a zygote.
4. The start of pregnancy.
5. The formation of a conceptus or an implanted embryo.
6. The power or faculty of apprehending of forming an idea in the mind; the power of recalling a past sensation or perception; the ability to form mental abstractions.
7. An image, idea, or notion formed in the mind; a concept, plan or design.

Antonyms

• misconception

Coordinate terms

• inception

Related terms

• conceive
• concept

Translations

See also

• contraception

References

• conception in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• conception in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• nonectopic

French

Etymology

From Old French conception, concepcion, borrowed from Latin conceptio, conceptionem (“comprehension, understanding”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.s?p.sj??/

Noun

conception f (plural conceptions)

1. conception (of a child)
2. conception (beginning, start)
3. ability to understand
4. viewpoint; angle
5. concept, idea

Related terms

• concept
• concevoir

Further reading

• “conception” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Old French

Alternative forms

• concepcion

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conceptio, conceptionem (“comprehension, understanding”).

Noun

conception f (oblique plural conceptions, nominative singular conception, nominative plural conceptions)

1. conception (of a child)

Descendants

• ? Middle English: concepcioun, concepcion, concepciun, concepcyon, consepcioun
  • English: conception
• French: conception

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman aquaintaunce, aqueintance, Old French acointance (“friendship, familiarity”), from Old French acointer (“to acquaint”). Compare French accointance.

Morphologically acquaint +? -ance.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??kwe?nt?ns/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??kwe?n.t?ns/

Noun

acquaintance (countable and uncountable, plural acquaintances)

1. (uncountable) A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship; acquaintanceship. [from 12th c.]

   I know of the man; but have no acquaintance with him.

   • 1799, William Jones (translator), Hito'pade'sa, in The Works, Volume 6, page 22:

     Contract no friend?hip, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man : he re?embles a coal, which when hot burneth the hand, and when cold blacketh it.

2. (countable) A person or persons with whom one is acquainted. [from 14th c.]
3. (uncountable) Such people collectively; one's circle of acquaintances (with plural concord). [from 15th c.]
   • 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Penguin 2004, p. 230:

     Their mother […] was busy in the mean time in keeping up her connections, as she termed a numerous acquaintance, lest her girls should want a proper introduction into the great world.

4. Personal knowledge (with a specific subject etc.). [from 16th c.]

Usage notes

• Synonym notes: The words acquaintance, familiarity, and intimacy now mark different degrees of closeness in social intercourse. Acquaintance arises from occasional intercourse or interaction; as, "our acquaintance has been a brief one". We can speak of a slight or an intimate acquaintance. Familiarity is the result of continued acquaintance. It springs from persons being frequently together, so as to wear off all restraint and reserve; as, "the familiarity of old companions". Intimacy is the result of close connection, and the freest interchange of thought; as, "the intimacy of established friendship".

Synonyms

• familiarity, fellowship, intimacy, knowledge
• See also Thesaurus:acquaintance

Derived terms

• nodding acquaintance
• renew acquaintances

Related terms

• acquaint

Translations

References

• acquaintance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• acquaintance at OneLook Dictionary Search