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connivance

or con·niv·ence

[ kuh-nahy-vuhns ]
/ kəˈnaɪ vəns /
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See synonyms for connivance on Thesaurus.com
noun
the act of conniving.
Law.
  1. tacit encouragement or assent (without participation) to wrongdoing by another.
  2. the consent by a person to a spouse's conduct, especially adultery, that is later made the basis of a divorce proceeding or other complaint.
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Origin of connivance

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier connivence, from French or directly from Latin connīventia; see origin at connive, -ence, -ance

OTHER WORDS FROM connivance

non·con·niv·ance, nounnon·con·niv·ence, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to connivance

cabal, conspiracy, intrigue, machination, scheme, subversion

British Dictionary definitions for connivance

connivance
/ (kəˈnaɪvəns) /
noun
the act or fact of conniving
law the tacit encouragement of or assent to another's wrongdoing, esp (formerly) of the petitioner in a divorce suit to the respondent's adultery
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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