Congruity

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or quality of elements being in agreement, harmony, or logical consistency
2. The condition of parts fitting together well, showing harmony or coherence
3. The characteristic of things matching or being appropriate in relation to each other

Etymology: "Congruity" came into English from Old French "congruité," which in turn descends from Latin "congruere," meaning "to come together" or "to agree." The Latin verb was built from "com-," "together," and "ruere," "to rush or fall," so the image underlying the word is of things rushing together until they meet squarely. That physical sense of coming together is what the English noun carries into its meaning of parts fitting well and forming a coherent whole. The word's Latin ancestor is also the source of the closely related "congruent," which mathematicians use for shapes that match exactly in size and form, so the same idea of perfect correspondence runs through both.

Synonyms: harmony, accord, consistency

Antonyms: incongruity, discrepancy