Accord

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /əˈkɔːd/

Definitions

1. An agreement or harmony between people, groups, or nations regarding a particular matter
2. A mutual understanding or agreement among individuals or groups that fosters cooperation and harmony in relationships is reflected in shared terms or arrangements
3. A formal arrangement or consensus among parties that establishes a mutual agreement, as well as a state of compatibility or harmony within diverse groups

Etymology: The most surprising fact here is the heart. "Accord" traces back to a Latin verb, "concordare", meaning to be of one heart or one mind, built from "cor" (heart) and "con-" (together). Latin "concordare" passed into Vulgar Latin as "*accordare" and then into Old French as "acorder", meaning to bring into harmony or to agree. Medieval English borrowed the verb as "accorden" and "acorden" from there, and the noun "accord" arrived from Old French "acort" as a product of that verb. The link to "heart" runs deeper than the Latin. Latin "cor" descends from the same ancient root that gave English "heart" through Proto-Germanic, so the two words are distant cousins. That shared ancestry is why agreement is so often described in terms of the heart: to agree is, literally, to come together in spirit.

Synonyms: agreement, concord, harmony

Antonyms: disagreement, conflict