To provide a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics or having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics such as high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, low minimum temperature thereof, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy, large dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, a large elastic constant, high stability to ultraviolet light and heat; an AM device having short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth.
The liquid crystal composition has the nematic phase and contains a compound having high maximum temperature and large dielectric anisotropy as a first component and a specific compound having large dielectric anisotropy as a second component, and may contain a specific compound having large dielectric anisotropy as a third component, and a compound having small viscosity as a fourth component. A liquid crystal display device includes the composition.