Discordances

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lack of harmony or agreement between elements, often creating tension or conflict within relationships or systems
2. A situation marked by discrepancies or differences in opinions, musical notes, or social interactions
3. Instances of dissonance that disrupt the expected coherence in ideas, sounds, or behaviors

Etymology: "Discordances" is simply the plural of "discordance," which is a noun meaning a state of disagreement or clash. The singular traces back through Middle French "discordance," itself built from the Latin "discordare," meaning "to be out of harmony" or "to disagree," from "discors," "discordant," a combination of "dis-" (apart, asunder) and "cor" (heart). The image is literal: two hearts pulling apart. The Latin root was used with a musical sense as well as a social one, so a discordance originally referred to notes that clashed when sounded together, and the same word carried over to people whose views or interests jarred. That dual life explains why the plural now covers both a dissonant chord and a household full of quarrels. The English "discord" is the closer relative, and "discordance" follows the same pattern through the suffix "-ance," which turns the verb-like idea of disagreeing into a noun naming the state itself.

Synonyms: discrepancies, inconsistencies

Antonyms: accord, harmony