What Is the RAE Definition of ‘Concepto’?

If your search was “what is RAE definition of the concept,” the Spanish term you want is concepto. Its central dictionary meaning is an idea formed by the understanding. The entry also records six other senses, showing why a dictionary definition must be read in context.

Concepto: pronunciation and central meaning

The first sense in the Diccionario de la lengua española entry is the broad meaning used in sentences such as El concepto de libertad cambia según el contexto (“The concept of freedom changes according to context”).

The seven senses in plain English

1. An idea formed by understanding.
2. A concise or witty thought or saying.
3. An opinion or judgment.
4. Someone’s reputation or the regard in which they are held.
5. An aspect, capacity, or category under which something is considered.
6. In linguistics, a mental representation associated with a linguistic expression.
7. An obsolete use referring to a fetus.

For example, Tengo un buen concepto de ella means “I have a good opinion of her,” not “I have a good concept of her.” In an invoice, en concepto de transporte means “under the heading of transport” or “for transport.”

RAE, ASALE, and DLE: what is the difference?

The RAE is the Real Academia Española. It works with the national academies in the ASALE, the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language. The DLE is the shared dictionary learners usually mean when they say they “looked it up in the RAE.” The RAE’s institutional overview explains this collaboration and its language resources.

How to read a RAE entry well

• Start with the grammatical label and gender: concepto is a masculine noun.
• Do not assume the first sense fits every sentence.
• Watch for field labels such as linguistics and usage labels such as obsolete.
• Use the surrounding phrase to select the correct meaning.

See that process applied to a highly polysemic Spanish word, pasar, or explore more entries in our random Spanish words guide.

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