# Conception

The mental part of invention: forming a definite and permanent idea of the complete invention in enough detail that a skilled person could build it. Conception, paired with reduction to practice, determines who legally counts as an inventor.

**Full entry:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary/conception

**All patent terms:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. A plain-English glossary of US patent terms._