MEANING
Formed before sufficient thought, evidence, or knowledge, especially of an idea or opinion.
Use it for
identifying an opinion brought into an inquiry prematurely; questioning an interpretation fixed before examining evidence; distinguishing prior assumptions from conclusions reached through analysisIdentifies a judgment formed before sufficient consideration rather than treating every prior hypothesis as prejudice. Academic functions: Qualification / Uncertainty, Research / Methodology.
Words that belong together
- preconceived notion
- preconceived idea
- preconceived assumption
On the page
The researcher records prior expectations to reduce the risk that preconceived ideas determine the coding.
The critic revises a preconceived view of the genre after considering texts outside the usual canon.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- preconceived
Usage notes
Established lexical adjective: preconceived idea, preconceived notion. Normally non-gradable. This independently verified adjective is the sole headword counted here; no tense series of preconceive is added. Register: neutral. Commonness: moderately common (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.