What does concent mean?
"Concent" is a literary noun denoting harmony — most literally the pleasing agreement of musical sounds, and by extension accord or concord among people or things. A choir singing in perfect concent produces a unified whole rather than competing voices; likewise, two parties acting in concent are working in genuine unison. The word entered English in the late sixteenth century from French concentrer, ultimately rooted in Latin centrum, meaning center — the same root behind "concentric," whose circles share a common middle point. Though once reasonably current in discussions of music and poetry, "concent" has faded into rarity and now appears chiefly in older texts or deliberately ornate prose. Its chief practical value for the modern reader lies in recognizing it in literature and in distinguishing it carefully from its look-alike "consent," which concerns permission rather than harmony.
Agreement or harmony of sound; musical concord.
"The bells rang out in sweet concent across the valley."
Now chiefly literary or archaic.
Accord or agreement between persons or things more generally.
"The treaty reflected an unprecedented concent between the two nations."
Rarely used in the plural; the word typically appears as an uncountable noun denoting harmony in general.
"The composer layered several distinct concents within the single movement."
"Concent" and "consent" are spelled just one letter apart, yet one is about agreeing to a request — the other about voices agreeing in song.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concent
"Concent" was borrowed into English from French concentrer in the late sixteenth century, at a time when English absorbed heavily from French and Latin. It derives ultimately from Latin centrum, meaning "center," making it a sibling of "concentric" — literally "having a common center." Its earliest uses described musical concord, with the metaphor being many voices converging on a single central point.
How concent is actually used
"Concent" is rare and somewhat archaic today, surviving mostly in literary or historical writing about music. It should not be confused with the far more common "consent."
Easily confused with concent
"Consent" means permission or agreement to something, while "concent" refers to harmony or concord of sound.