congruity

American  

[kuhn-groo-i-tee, kon-, kuhng-, kong-] / kənˈgru ɪ ti, kɒn-, kəŋ-, kɒŋ- /

noun

plural

congruities

1. the state or quality of being congruous; harmony; appropriateness.

   a congruity of ideas.

2. the state or quality of being geometrically congruent.

3. a point of agreement.

4. Scholasticism. merit bestowed as a divine gift rather than earned.

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Other Word Forms

• noncongruity noun

Etymology

Origin of congruity

1350–1400; Middle English congruite < Middle French < Late Latin congruitāt- (stem of congruitās ), equivalent to Latin congru ( us ) congruous + -itāt- -ity

Explanation

Congruity is a quality of agreement and appropriateness. When there's congruity, things fit together in a way that makes sense. If a team has congruity, the players work together well, even if they don’t win. The word congruity is from the Old French congruité for "relevance and appropriateness." Students reading quietly in a library is an example of congruity. A clown juggling fire in a library would be an incongruity, which is when things don't fit together. A well-decorated room, where the colors complement each other, has congruity. Wearing a tuxedo to a classical music concert shows congruity: wearing a tux to a heavy metal concert would not.

Example Sentences

It was a congruity that called out for someone to remark upon, and Sullivan was just that person.

From Washington Post • Jul. 28, 2021

People nest within like-minded social networks and then get social credit by amplifying their congruity.

From Slate • Dec. 1, 2016

In clear, declarative prose, it dips readers’ toes into stereotype threat and confirmation bias, role congruity theory, cortisol and stress studies and prospect theory.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 5, 2016

Conceptual congruity doesn’t matter much when you’re just trying to snag some cultural cachet with a decent party.

From The Verge • Jan. 7, 2016

Nor is there in this principle anything inconsistent with the need for continual growth in congruity of nature with that land of light.

From The Expositor's Bible: Colossians and Philemon by Maclaren, Alexander