consensus

[ kuhn-sen-suhs ]

noun

, plural con·sen·sus·es.

1. majority of opinion:

   The consensus of the group was that they should meet twice a month.

2. general agreement or concord; harmony.

consensus

/ kənˈsɛnsəs /

noun

1. general or widespread agreement (esp in the phrase consensus of opinion )

Usage Note

Many say that the phrase consensus of opinion is redundant and hence should be avoided: The committee's statement represented a consensus of opinion. The expression is redundant, however, only if consensus is taken in the sense “majority of opinion” rather than in its equally valid and earlier sense “general agreement or concord.” Criticism of consensus of opinion has been so persistent and widespread that the phrase, even though in common use, occurs only infrequently in edited formal writing. The phrase general consensus is objected to for similar reasons. Consensus is now widely used attributively, especially in the phrase consensus politics.

Usage

Since consensus refers to a collective opinion, the words of opinion in the phrase consensus of opinion are redundant and should therefore be avoided

Word History and Origins

Origin of consensus¹

First recorded in 1850–55; from Latin, from consentīre “to be in agreement, share a feeling,” from con- con- + sentīre “to feel” ( sense )

Word History and Origins

Origin of consensus¹

C19: from Latin, from consentīre to feel together, agree; see consent

Example Sentences

“The intelligence community consensus is that Russia continues to try to influence our elections,” Wray said.

From Washington Post

Step one was trying to form consensus, and step two was tbd.

From Washington Post

There’s a broad consensus among bond investors that if rates on longer-term government debt start to creep up, as they’ve occasionally threatened to, then the Fed can and will step in.

From Fortune

The overwhelming consensus of the scientific community was to call into question the credibility of the president’s statement.

From Fortune

At the same time, he added, “There’s already a sort of consensus developing that if any country develops a vaccine, of course they’ll keep a higher proportion for within their country.”

From Fortune

But there is no consensus about what the attrition of ISIS looks like.

From The Daily Beast

It all began, the consensus seems to be, with the red jungle fowl.

From The Daily Beast

The consensus leans toward forbidding it, though some people of knowledge think it permissible.

From The Daily Beast

Only 27 percent accept the scientific consensus that anthropogenic climate change is real.

From The Daily Beast

Bipartisan consensus is like when my doctor and my lawyer agree with my wife that I need help.

From The Daily Beast

Not like New York, that never expresses an opinion until a sort of consensus has sweated up to the surface.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a fact implied in the consensus of the various parts of the social body.

From Project Gutenberg

The consensus of classical opinion, then, agrees that the purpose of rhetoric is persuasive public speaking.

From Project Gutenberg

A consensus of the opinions of antiquarians is that the Swastika had no foothold among the Egyptians.

From Project Gutenberg

Why, it would have taxed to the uttermost the experience and resources of any one among themselves, was the consensus of opinion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accord
• consent
• harmony
• unanimity
• unity