Harmonise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To bring different elements or parts into agreement or consistent relationship
2. To adjust or coordinate components so that they function or sound in unity
3. To make various parts compatible, combining them smoothly to create coherence

Etymology: "Harmonise" is the British spelling of "harmonize," and its history runs through French. The word comes from French "harmoniser," which took the Greek root "harmonia," meaning a joining or fitting together, and the sense of fitting parts together is still at the heart of the modern verb. In Greek, "harmonia" described the joint of a ship's timbers or the fitting of stones in a wall before it came to mean musical concord. The verb is built on "harmony" plus the suffix "-ize," which turns a noun into a verb meaning "to make or bring into a certain state." So to harmonise is literally to bring things into harmony, whether those things are musical notes, colours, or the separate departments of an organisation. The move from music to general coherence happened gradually, with the original idea of parts fitting neatly together carrying over into every use.

Synonyms: synchronize, coordinate, concord

Antonyms: dissonate, conflict