conformity

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English conformite, also conformyte,^[2][3][4] borrowed from Middle French conformité, recorded in the 14th century in Oresme,^[3][2][4] from Late Latin cōnformitās,^[2][4][5] from cōnformis (“similar in shape”),^[2][6][4] which is related to cōnformō (“to fashion, form, shape”), formed from com- (“together”) and fōrmō (“to form”).^[2][6] The ODE and the Shorter Oxford allow a direct borrowing of the Late Latin word as well.^[7][8] The OED compares Old Occitan conformitat, Spanish conformidad and Italian conformità, and notes that the word was sometimes confused into “confirmity” in the 16th century.^[3] It belongs with conform.^[8][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Correspondence in form or manner; likeness, agreement: about 1430, in a translation of Thomas à Kempis.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The sense of action in keeping with a standard, such as law, order or fashion, is recorded from before 1513, in Fabyan's chronicle.^[3][2][9] From 1622 the word was used specifically for conformity in worship, in English history compliance with the rites of the Church of England,^[3][2] and in 1672 for conformists as a body.^[3] Some senses were short-lived: a point of resemblance (1639–55) and symmetry of the parts of a body (1607).^[3][9] Johnson (1755) put "similitude; resemblance" first.^[10] The phrases in conformity to (1628) and in conformity with (1794) are now the usual frame for the older sense of agreement.^[3] Etymonline dates the modern spelling to the 17th century.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1430 – correspondence in form or manner, likeness.^[3][2]
• before 1513 – action in accordance with a standard; compliance.^[3][9]
• 1622 – conformity in worship, especially with the Church of England.^[3][2]
• 1628 – in conformity to, according to a standard.^[3]
• 1672 – conformists as a body (obsolete).^[3]
• 1794 – in conformity with, in agreement with.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Behaviour that follows accepted rules, standards or norms; compliance: The school demanded strict conformity to its dress code.^[11][4][3]
2. Correspondence in form, manner or character; likeness or agreement.^[11][4][3]
3. in conformity with (or to): in agreement with; as required by: The building was altered in conformity with the new safety rules.^[4][3]
4. Compliance with the practices of an established church, especially the Church of England.^[11][4][3]

Word family

• disconformity
• inconformity
• nonconformity
• unconformity

Related words

• conform
• conformance
• conformist
• form

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
7. ^ Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b c Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
10. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
11. ^ a b c Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins