What does accordant mean?
"Accordant" is a formal adjective meaning in agreement or harmony with something else. It describes things that are consistent with a rule, standard, wish, or set of circumstances — a decision may be accordant with regulations, a person's conduct accordant with their principles, or a plan accordant with someone's wishes. The word almost always appears in the phrase "accordant with," and it carries a tone of formality and precision that suits legal, academic, and official writing. In everyday conversation, speakers tend to reach for simpler alternatives such as "in line with" or "consistent with," which gives "accordant" a distinctly literary flavor. It derives from the Latin verb accordare, "to be of one heart or mind," sharing its root with related words such as "accord," "concord," and "discordant." Its opposite, "discordant," makes the contrast especially vivid: where discordant things clash, accordant things align.
adjectiveIn agreement or harmony with something; consistent or conforming to a given standard, rule, or desire.
- In agreement or harmony with something; consistent with a rule, standard, wish, or circumstance.
"The committee's decision was accordant with the regulations laid down by the board."
"The final design was accordant with the client's original vision."
"His actions were entirely accordant with his stated principles."
"Accordant" and "discordant" come from the same Latin root for "heart" — one word describes hearts beating together, the other hearts pulled apart.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accordant
"Accordant" comes from the Latin verb accordare, formed from ad- ("to, toward") and cor/cordis ("heart"), literally meaning "to bring hearts together" or "to be of one mind." It entered English via Old French acorder in the late Middle English period, alongside its relatives "accord" and "concord." The same Latin root "cor" also underlies "cordial" and "record" (originally "to call to heart, remember"). Its natural antonym "discordant" shares the same root with a negative prefix.
Related word forms
How accordant is actually used
Formal and somewhat literary in register; more common in legal, academic, and formal writing than everyday speech, where phrases like "in line with" or "consistent with" are preferred. Almost always followed by "with."
Easily confused with accordant
"According" appears in the fixed phrase "according to" meaning as stated by someone, while "accordant" is an adjective describing something that agrees or harmonizes with something else.
"Discordant" means disagreeing or clashing, essentially the opposite of "accordant," which means in agreement.