constancy

American  

[kon-stuhn-see] / ˈkɒn stən si /

noun

1. the quality of being unchanging or unwavering, as in purpose, love, or loyalty; firmness of mind; faithfulness.

   Synonyms:

   devotion, loyalty, fealty, fidelity, resolution

   Antonyms:

   infidelity, irresolution

2. uniformity or regularity, as in qualities or conditions; invariableness.

   Synonyms:

   dependability, permanence

   Antonyms:

   variability

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constancy British  

/ ˈkɒnstənsɪ /

noun

1. the quality of having a resolute mind, purpose, or affection; steadfastness

2. freedom from change or variation; stability

3. psychol the perceptual phenomenon in which attributes of an object appear to remain the same in a variety of different presentations, e.g., a given object looks roughly the same size regardless of its distance from the observer

4. ecology the frequency of occurrence of a particular species in sample plots from a plant community

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Etymology

Origin of constancy

From the Latin word constantia, dating back to 1520–30; see constant, -ancy

Explanation

Something or someone that never changes, that stays the course, and that is more like a rock than a leaf blowing in the wind shows constancy. Have you ever noticed how some people change their minds every day? Someone like that isn't showing constancy. In parts of the world where the weather changes frequently, the weather has no constancy, whereas in San Francisco, where it's about 70 and mild for ten months of the year, the weather has constancy. If you take constancy — a good thing — too far, you have stubbornness — an undesirable quality.

Example Sentences

A version of this review appears in print on March 3, 2014, on page C2 of the with the headline: In a Decadent Vienna, Constancy Is Shown the Doors.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2014

"Constancy of purpose means that quality decisions are not situational," writes the operational expert Rebecca A. Morgan.

From Inc • Sep. 2, 2010

Constancy and reliability are, of course, just what the West German public admires about Helmut Kohl, and why it is likely to give him a large vote of confidence at the polls.

From Time Magazine Archive

Constancy during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals; invariably; uniformly; Ð opposed to sometimes or occasionally.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah

Constancy becometh all people well, but none better than princes, and such as have rule over realms, and especially in matters of religion.

From Life of Mary Queen of Scots, Volume I (of 2) by Bell, Henry Glassford

Related Words

• dependability
• perseverance
• steadfastness
• steadiness
• trustworthiness
• truthfulness