What does concurrence mean?
Concurrence is a formal noun denoting agreement — the state of two or more people or bodies sharing the same opinion, decision, or approval. It appears frequently in legal, political, and institutional language: a law may require the concurrence of a second chamber, a judge's ruling may depend on the concurrence of colleagues, and contracts often proceed only with the concurrence of all signatories. A secondary sense refers to the simultaneous occurrence of events, as when two disasters coincide. Derived from the Latin verb concurrere, meaning "to run together," it carries a slightly more elevated tone than everyday words like agreement or approval, lending precision and weight to formal writing. Its adjective form, concurrent, describes things existing or happening at the same time, reinforcing the image of separate streams moving in unison.
Agreement or accord between two or more parties; formal assent.
"The amendment passed with the concurrence of the full committee."
Especially common in legal and legislative contexts.
Simultaneous occurrence of events; coincidence.
"The concurrence of two deadlines left the team with no margin for error."
Rarely used; the noun is typically treated as uncountable in the agreement sense.
"Several concurrences of opinion emerged during the negotiation."
Concurrence comes from Latin roots meaning "to run together" — agreement, literally, is two minds running in the same direction at once.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concurrence
Concurrence derives from the Latin concurrere, formed from com- ("together") and currere ("to run"), literally meaning "to run together." The word entered English in the early modern period, initially carrying senses of both agreement and simultaneous occurrence. It is closely related to concur, concurrent, and current, all tracing back to the same Latin root for running or flowing.
Related word forms
How concurrence is actually used
Formal register; common in legal, parliamentary, and diplomatic writing. The sense of simultaneous occurrence is now somewhat less frequent than the agreement sense but remains standard.
Easily confused with concurrence
"Occurrence" means the fact of something happening, while "concurrence" means agreement between people or simultaneous happening.