proof of concept
noun
plural proofs of concept
: something that demonstrates the feasibility of a concept (such as a product idea or a business plan)
Even if it succeeds, the $5.9 billion reactor will be just a proof of concept, with commercial fusion power still decades away.—Corey S. Powell
Malware and virus-writing used to be something hobbyist hackers did for fun, as proofs of concept. Not anymore.—Mat Honan
—often hyphenated when used before another nounNo invention is worth anything without the proof-of-concept prototype.—Shintaro Asano
… proof-of-concept experiments funded with public money and years away from any commercial application, were sponsored by university biology departments.—Andrew Curry
Cite this Entry
“Proof of concept.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proof%20of%20concept. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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