Make Your Point: CONCORD

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pronounce CONCORD:

KON kord

connect this word to others:

The word concord is related to many others relating, literally or figuratively, to hearts.

Examples include core, courage, cordial, cardiac, accord, d_s_ccord ("a state of disagreeing or of not getting along well") and d_scord__t ("different from each other in a way that makes us uncomfortable or suspicious").

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "concord" traces back through French to the Latin concordia, meaning "union, or agreement," or more literally, "hearts together; of one heart." Lovely, right?

"Concord" has special meanings in the fields of music and grammar, but its general meaning is "harmony or agreement: a state in which things are calm or pleasant because people (or things) seem to agree with each other, or feel or think the same way."

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Noun, often the uncountable kind: "They dreamed of social concord;" "The song opens with a concord of voices;" "In these divisive political times, there is little concord."

Also the countable kind: "They reached a tenuous concord."

Other forms:

The adjective is "concordant," as in "The two parts of this song are concordant" or "This part is concordant with that part."

There's an alternate noun, "concordance," which can often mean a specific instance of concord, as in "The two parts of the song reach a concordance."

And there are some adverbs, "concordly" and "concordantly," which are rare. Here's the New Yorker: "Music speaks concordantly to a troubled world."

how to use it:

When you want to call a bit of extra attention to the warm, deep-seated way in which people or things get along together, instead of picking a more common word like "harmony" or "agreement," you can pick the lovely, formal, semi-common word "concord."

You might talk about a moment of concord, or talk about the concord in a group or between two people or groups, or talk about people or groups aiming for concord or reaching concord.

Or you might talk about a concord of different things, like "a concord of voices" or "a concord of colors and patterns."

examples:

"[The English composer Vaughan Williams] was... a 'progressive patriot' who advocated a harmonious concord of nations while remaining proud of his own distinct culture."
— Rob Young, The Guardian, 11 June 2010

"In the midst of evil you want to be a good man. You want decency. You want justice and courtesy and human concord, things you never knew you wanted."
— Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried, 1990

has this page helped you understand "concord"?

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Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "concord" without saying "harmony" or "unanimity."

try it out:

In an interview for the New York Times, the science historian James Gleick observed that "A piece of music is boring if it's completely predictable, and boring if it's completely unpredictable." His interviewer added that "Reality contains both concord and discord. If it's true peace of mind you're after, you have to make room for the noise."

Talk about what they mean: why do they say that total concord would be boring and unrealistic? Could you describe an aspect of your own life that contains both concord and discord?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is "Stop, Drop, & Anagram!"

I’ll give you an 8-letter word, along with a quote with a blank in it. Your job is to drop a letter from the word, then reassemble it into the 7-letter word that fits meaningfully into the blank. You'll find the answer at the bottom of the issue. Enjoy!

Try this one today:

SLAPJACK.

"[The pain of the gunshot wound] was like a pack of _____, circling, sniffing, treading closer, and he knew they wouldn't leave him now till they'd eaten him bare."
— Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife, 1997

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of CONCORD is

A. ACCORD, meaning "harmony or agreement."
B. DISCORD, meaning "a lack of harmony or agreement."
C. RECORD, meaning "written pieces of facts or evidence."

2. Describing her intuitive ability to cook, Bex Brian says she has a "secret concord with the alchemy of cooking," as if _____.

A. her thoughts laser-focus on each step of cooking
B. her heart beats in time with the rhythms of cooking
C. her hands deftly wield each implement of cooking

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
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From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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