What does consistence mean?
"Consistence" is a noun meaning either the quality of holding together without contradiction or the physical firmness of a material — in other words, an older and now uncommon synonym of "consistency". In its first sense it describes coherence and uniformity: an argument has good consistence when its parts agree with one another, and a policy shows consistence when it is applied evenly over time. In its second sense it refers to texture or viscosity, as when a cook judges whether a sauce has reached the right consistence. The word entered English in the early seventeenth century, drawn from the same Latin root as "consist" and "persistent". Today, "consistence" survives mostly in formal, technical, or literary writing, while everyday English strongly favors "consistency". Knowing the word is useful mainly for reading older texts with confidence and for adding a slightly archaic elegance to prose when variety is wanted.
The quality of being consistent; coherence, agreement, or uniformity among parts.
"The judge admired the consistence of her reasoning throughout the lengthy brief."
Now rare; "consistency" is the preferred modern form.
The degree of firmness or thickness of a substance, especially a liquid or semi-liquid.
"Whip the cream until it has a soft, spreadable consistence."
Rarely used in the plural, as the word typically denotes an uncountable quality or property.
"The two paints had markedly different consistences."
"Consistence" is one of English's quiet survivors — a perfectly good word that lost the popularity contest to its sibling "consistency" and never quite left the dictionary.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of consistence
"Consistence" derives from the Latin verb "consistere", meaning to stand firm or stand together, formed from "com-" (together) plus "sistere" (to stand). The word was adopted into English in the early seventeenth century alongside related borrowings such as "consistent" and "subsistence". Its sibling form "consistency", built on the same stem with a different suffix, arose around the same period and gradually displaced it in common use.
Related word forms
How consistence is actually used
"Consistence" is notably less common than "consistency" in contemporary usage; most modern writers prefer "consistency" in all senses. When "consistence" does appear, it is often in formal, older, or deliberately literary prose, and the physical-texture sense is somewhat more likely to be expressed this way than the logical-uniformity sense.
Easily confused with consistence
"Consistency" is the standard modern form for both logical uniformity and physical thickness, while "consistence" is an older, now rare synonym that survives mainly in formal or technical writing.