The subject is to provide a liquid crystal composition that satisfies at least one characteristic among characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, a low viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a negatively large dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light and a high stability to heat, or that is suitably balanced regarding two or more characteristics. The subject is to provide an AM device that has a short response time, a high voltage holding ratio, a high contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth.The invention provides a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy that contains a specific compound having a negatively large dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a two-ring compound having a low viscosity as a second component, and may contain a specific compound having a low viscosity as a third component and/or a specific compound having a negatively large dielectric anisotropy as a fourth component, and provide a liquid crystal display device containing the composition.