CONCEPTUAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does conceptual mean? 

• CONCEPTUAL (adjective)
  The adjective CONCEPTUAL has 1 sense:

1. being or characterized by concepts or their formation

  Familiarity information: CONCEPTUAL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONCEPTUAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being or characterized by concepts or their formation

Context example:

sex is a notional category, gender is a grammatical category

Similar:

abstract (existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment)

Derivation:

concept (an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances)

conceptuality (an elaborated concept)

conceptualize (have the idea for)

 Context examples 

Conceptual functions or thinking in all its forms.

(Mental Process, NCI Thesaurus)

"We don't have a conceptual framework for understanding the planet's evolution. This is one viable hypothesis."

(Earth's mantle, not its core, may have generated planet's early magnetic field, National Science Foundation)

Any one of the major conceptual subdivisions, based on characteristic cytological and biochemical events, during M Phase of the eukaryotic cell cycle that occur in the order Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase and lead toward nuclear division.

(M Phase Substage, NCI Thesaurus)

Any one of the major conceptual divisions of the eukaryotic cell cycle, based on characteristic cytological and biochemical events, that occur in the order G1 (Gap 1)-S (Synthesis)-G2 (Gap 2)-M (Mitosis) and lead to cell division.

(Cell Cycle Phase, NCI Thesaurus)

Now, a study led by Emily Rivest of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science synthesizes the results of these behavioral studies—revealing both broad patterns and intriguing outliers—and provides a conceptual framework to help guide future research in this emerging field.

(Study considers sensory impacts of environmental change on ocean species, National Science Foundation)