Acceptancy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act or state of accepting or agreeing to something as true or suitable
2. The quality or condition of receiving or approval without objection
3. The process or condition in which acceptance or consent is given

Etymology: "Acceptancy" is a formal English noun meaning the act or state of accepting something, and it is essentially a variant of "acceptance" shaped by the many English nouns that end in "-ancy," such as "constancy" and "vacancy." Its ending was probably influenced by those pairs, so that "accept" seemed to call for "-ancy" alongside the more familiar "-ance." The word is therefore a case of alteration rather than a fresh formation from scratch. "Acceptance" came first, and speakers shifted its final syllable toward the "-ancy" pattern. On the surface it looks like "accept" plus "-ancy," but the real starting point is the older "acceptance." The Oxford English Dictionary records it as a distinct entry, and it is far less common than its close relative.

Synonyms: acceptance, approval, consent

Antonyms: rejection, refusal