Connivances

/kəˈnaɪvənsɪz/ noun

Definition

Plural of connivance; multiple instances of secretly helping or deliberately ignoring something wrong.

Etymology

From 'connivance' plus regular plural '-s.' 'Connivance' comes from Latin 'conniventia,' from 'connivere' (to wink at, overlook), combining 'con-' (together) and 'nivere' (possibly related to 'nidus,' nest, meaning to close eyes).

Kelly Says

The original Latin meaning was literally 'to wink together'—imagine two people winking at each other to signal 'let's ignore this'—which is exactly what connivance means! The metaphor is 2,000 years old.

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