Conceptive

/kənˈsɛptɪv/ adjective

Definition

Capable of conceiving or forming ideas; relating to the power of conception or understanding.

Etymology

From Latin conceptivus, formed from concipere (to conceive) with the suffix -ive meaning having the quality of. This philosophical term emerged in medieval scholastic writing to describe the mental faculty.

Kelly Says

Medieval scholars separated 'conceptive' power (your ability to form ideas) from 'imaginative' power (seeing mental pictures), thinking the brain had different tools for different kinds of thinking.

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