Acquiescence

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌæk.wiːˈɛs.əns/

Definitions

1. The act of accepting or agreeing to something without protest, often implying passive consent rather than enthusiastic approval
2. the act of consenting to something by failing to object or by tolerating it without vocal resistance
3. The act of yielding or agreeing quietly without active resistance or objection

Etymology: "Acquiescence" comes from French "acquiescence," which in turn comes from the Latin verb "acquiescere," meaning "to rest upon" or "to find rest in." The Latin root combines "ad-" (toward) with "quiescere" (to become quiet, to rest), the same stem that gives English "quiet," "quiescent," and "requiem." So the idea underlying the word is literally one of settling down, of coming to rest in a situation rather than fighting it. The word entered English by borrowing directly from French, and the Latin sense of rest carried over into its later meaning. Acquiescing is not a loud surrender but a quiet settling, which is why the word describes agreement given without argument. The flavor of passivity it now carries comes straight from that original image of coming to rest.

Synonyms: agreement, consent, compliance, submission

Antonyms: refusal, disagreement