What does commensurably mean?
"Commensurably" is a formal adverb meaning in a way that corresponds in size, degree, or amount to something else — that is, proportionately. It derives from "commensurable," which traces back to the Latin mensura ("measure"), via words built on the prefix com- ("together") and the notion of things being measurable by a common standard. In modern usage it appears most often in economic, legal, and academic writing: salaries may increase commensurably with experience, risks grow commensurably with exposure, and rewards expand commensurably with effort. The word carries a neutral, analytical connotation rather than an emotional one, and it signals a precise, quantified relationship between two changing things. Because it is relatively rare outside formal registers, using it well lends writing an air of rigor; using it loosely can seem stilted. Its natural habitat is the clause describing proportional change, where simpler alternatives like "proportionately" or "correspondingly" would also serve.
adverbIn a way that corresponds in size, degree, or amount to something else; proportionately.
- In a manner corresponding in size, degree, or amount; proportionately.
"Her responsibilities grew commensurably with her promotion."
"As demand for the product rose, prices increased commensurably."
"His influence within the company grew commensurably with his seniority."
It's the adverb economists reach for when they want to say one thing scaled up because another did — the quiet grammar of fairness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of commensurably
"Commensurably" derives from "commensurable," which entered English from Late Latin commensurabilis, formed from com- ("together") plus mensurabilis ("measurable"), ultimately rooted in Latin mensura, "a measuring." The underlying idea is that two things share a common measure or standard. The adverb form developed alongside its parent adjective as English adopted Latinate vocabulary during the early modern period, particularly in mathematical and philosophical contexts.
Related word forms
How commensurably is actually used
A formal word, found chiefly in academic, legal, economic, and journalistic prose. It is almost always used of quantities, benefits, burdens, or status that rise or fall alongside something else, and it typically appears after the verb it modifies rather than at the start of a sentence.
Easily confused with commensurably
'Commensurably' means proportionately or in corresponding measure, while 'incommensurably' means without any common standard of measurement — the opposite relation.