Consentingness

/kənˈsentɪŋnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being willing to agree or consent to something without resistance.

Etymology

From 'consenting' (present participle of consent, from Latin consentire meaning 'to agree together') plus the suffix '-ness' to form an abstract noun. The root 'con-' means 'together' and 'sentire' means 'to feel,' so literally 'feeling together' evolved to mean agreement.

Kelly Says

Consentingness captures something psychologists study a lot—our natural inclination to agree with others, which can be both good (cooperation) and risky (peer pressure). Medieval philosophers actually had similar concepts to describe social harmony.

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