preconceived
UK[ˌpriːkənˈsiːvd]US[ˌpriːkənˈsiːvd]
adj
(of an idea or opinion) formed before having the evidence for its truth or usefulness
Morpheme Breakdown
pre
con
ceived
pre
before
con
together
ceived
taken
Etymology
The word "preconceived" is built upon the verb "conceive," which itself originates from the Latin concipere, meaning "to take in and hold together," formed from con- (together) and capere (to take). This evolved to mean "to take into the mind, to form an idea." The addition of the Latin prefix prae- (before) creates the sense of an idea being formed or taken into the mind before adequate experience or evidence. The literal progression from "taken together beforehand" to the modern abstract meaning illustrates a concept that is held in the mind prior to and often in disregard of objective facts.
Analysis
Structure: pre (before) + con (together) + ceived (taken)
- pre: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "before".
- con: Latin origin (from cum), a prefix meaning "together, with".
- ceived: From the Latin verb capere, meaning "to take, seize, hold". The form "ceived" is the past participle stem of its English derivative "conceive".
Examples
He approached the interview with a preconceived notion of what the candidate would be like.
It's important to conduct research without any preconceived ideas about the outcome.
The jury was instructed to disregard any preconceived opinions about the case.