Conceptualizations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The processes of shaping abstract notions in the mind, developing mental models to interpret something, or constructing multiple ways of understanding a subject
2. The act of forming abstract notions to explain or interpret ideas ; the creation of mental images or frameworks to understand complex subjects
3. Developing intangible thoughts or theories that represent concepts ; generating internal models or structures to give meaning to information

Etymology: The noun "conceptualization" is a rare sort of word: it is built in layers, each piece a borrowing from a different era. At its base is the Latin verb "concipere", meaning to take in or conceive, which Latin formed from "con-" and "capere" (to take). The Latin "conceptus" gave English "concept", and from that stem came the adjective "conceptual", borrowed via Medieval Latin "conceptualis". English then added "-ize" (from Greek through Latin and French) to make "conceptualize", and finally "-ation" to turn the verb into a noun of action. The result is a word that describes the process of taking an idea and giving it a shape. Its earliest parts were physical gestures of holding and grasping, and the Latin "capere" still carries that sense in its descendants like "capture" and "accept". Forming a concept, in this light, is literally a matter of gathering something up and holding it.