consort

American  

[kon-sawrt, kuhn-sawrt] / ˈkɒn sɔrt, kənˈsɔrt /

noun

1. a husband or wife; spouse, especially of a reigning monarch.

2. one vessel or ship accompanying another.

3. Music.

   1. a group of instrumentalists and singers who perform music, especially old music.

   2. a group of instruments of the same family, as viols, played in concert.

4. a companion, associate, or partner.

   a confidant and consort of heads of state.

5. accord or agreement.

6. Obsolete.

   1. company or association.

   2. harmony of sounds.

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verb (used without object)

1. to associate; keep company.

   to consort with known criminals.

2. to agree or harmonize.

verb (used with object)

1. to associate, join, or unite.

2. Obsolete.

   1. to accompany; espouse.

   2. to sound in harmony.

consort British  

verb

1. to keep company (with undesirable people); associate

2. (intr) to agree or harmonize

3. rare (tr) to combine or unite

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noun

1. 1. a small group of instruments, either of the same type, such as viols, (a whole consort ) or of different types (a broken consort )

   2. ( as modifier )

      consort music

2. the husband or wife of a reigning monarch

3. a partner or companion, esp a husband or wife

4. a ship that escorts another

5. obsolete

   1. companionship or association

   2. agreement or accord

Other Word Forms

• consortable
  adjective
• consorter
  noun
• consortion
  noun
• nonconsorting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of consort

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin consort- (stem of consors ) “sharer,” originally, “sharing” (adjective); see origin at con-, sort

Explanation

If you keep company with someone, you are consorting with them. "The students tended to consort only with other students from similar backgrounds. The staff wanted to break them out of their comfort zone, so they organized games to force them to mingle and meet new people." Consort is usually followed by the preposition with, and sometimes the verb consort is followed by the phrase "with the enemy." The military frowns on consorting with the enemy in a war. Her best friend accused her of consorting with the enemy when she walked home with another girl. As a noun, the term consort refers to the spouse of the reigning monarch. Prince Albert was called the prince consort because he was married to Queen Victoria when she ruled Great Britain.

Example Sentences

But this sweet and yearning six-minute pavan, written for an ensemble of viols, and the title track on the gorgeous new recording of the Ricercar Consort, bridges centuries.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2024

But then this isn’t any old footballer’s wife but, the potential future Queen Consort of England.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2024

When Charles became King, she became Queen Consort, as per the wishes of Queen Elizabeth II. Following the coronation she is now known as Queen Camilla.

From BBC • May 6, 2023

And now she is Queen Camilla, her previous title of Queen Consort having apparently been jettisoned nearly overnight.

From New York Times • May 6, 2023

The character and the progress of the Victorian era are due in no small degree to the sagacity and shrewdness of the Prince Consort.

From Social Transformations of the Victorian Age A Survey of Court and Country by Escott, T. H. S. (Thomas Hay Sweet)