Cogency

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkəʊd͡ʒənsi/

Definitions

1. The quality of presenting ideas clearly and compellingly, resulting in a persuasive and logically sound argument that is difficult to dispute
2. The attribute of being logically strong and convincing, which ensures that arguments are presented with clarity and are hard to contest
3. The characteristic of arguments or ideas being well-reasoned, clear, and powerfully persuasive to the audience

Etymology: "Cogency" comes from the Latin verb "cogere", built from "co-", meaning "together", and "agere", meaning "to drive". To "cogere" was to herd things into one place, and the verb also meant to compel or force someone to do something. A cogent argument is one that drives the listener toward a conclusion and leaves little room to wander off. That sense of compulsion is central to the word. The idea is that a strong argument pushes you to agree, much as a crowd is pushed into a pen. "Agere" is also the root of English "agent", "act", and "action", so a cogent argument is, in a sense, something that acts on the listener.

Synonyms: clarity, persuasiveness, lucidity

Antonyms: confusion, ambiguity