consensus definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

con·sen·sus [ kən sénsəss ]

noun

Definition:

1. broad unanimity: general or widespread agreement among all the members of a group

After hours of deliberation, they finally reached a consensus.

2. view of society in equilibrium: a concept of society in which the absence of conflict is seen as the equilibrium state of society

[Mid-17th century. < Latin< past participle of consentire (see consent)]

Word Usage


	The word consensus is often misspelled concensus, probably from the erroneous influence of the word census.

Word Usage


	Since consensus already means "a view or opinion that is generally shared," expressions such as general consensus and consensus of opinion are, strictly speaking, tautologies (i.e., they say the same thing twice), and modifiers such as "general" and "of opinion" are redundant. However, occasionally a modifier can be justified, as in There was a consensus of feeling, but no consensus of opinion. It is always best to begin by considering whether or not the word without modifiers expresses what you mean.