consensus English · revision 7821

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1633|origins=la consentio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kənˈsɛnsəs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|consensus|alt=cōnsēnsus|t=agreement, accord, common feeling]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from the past participle of [[m|la|consentio|alt=cōnsentīre|t=to feel together, agree]] (see [[consent]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from com-, together, and sentīre, to feel (see [[sense]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Agreement: 1633, an isolated or nonce use.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was borrowed again in 1843, in John Stuart Mill's ''System of Logic''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) In physiology, the concord of different organs in effecting a purpose is from 1854.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Agreement in opinion, the collective opinion of a group, is from 1861,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and ''consensus of opinion'' from 1858.^(OED 1989) ''Consensual'' is from 1754.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1633 – isolated use.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1843 – in Mill.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1854 – in physiology.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1858 – consensus of opinion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1861 – general agreement.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An opinion or position reached by a group as a whole.^(AHD)

+ # General or widespread [[agreement]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[consensual]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[consent]]

+ * [[sense]]

+ * [[sentiment]]

+ * [[assent]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Collins advises avoiding ''consensus of opinion'', since consensus already refers to a collective opinion.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}