concordance: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “concordance” mean?
A comprehensive alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or by an author, showing their contexts and frequency.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A comprehensive alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or by an author, showing their contexts and frequency; a state of agreement or harmony.
In linguistics, a systematic presentation of occurrences of words in context (as in a corpus). In broader usage, can refer to any agreement or harmonious relationship between things.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the term primarily in academic/technical contexts.
Connotations
Equally formal and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “concordance” in a Sentence
concordance of [NOUN] (e.g., concordance of Shakespeare's works)concordance between [NOUN] and [NOUN] (e.g., concordance between theory and data)in concordance with [NOUN/PHRASE] (e.g., acting in concordance with the rules)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “concordance” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- To concordance a corpus requires specialised software. (Technical, rare)
- They concordanced the entire oeuvre. (Technical, rare)
American English
- We need to concordance these texts to find patterns. (Technical, rare)
- The program concordances the input automatically. (Technical, rare)
adverb
British English
- (No established adverbial form in use.)
American English
- (No established adverbial form in use.)
adjective
British English
- The concordance data revealed new insights. (Attributive use only)
- She accessed the concordance file.
American English
- The concordance output was exported to a spreadsheet.
- He reviewed the concordance results carefully.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal documents: 'The financial report shows concordance with the projected figures.'
Academic
Common in linguistics, literature, and corpus studies: 'The researcher used a concordance to analyse collocations of the keyword.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound overly formal.
Technical
Standard in computational linguistics and textual analysis software features (e.g., 'generate a concordance line').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “concordance”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “concordance”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “concordance”
- Using it as a synonym for 'concord' (the simpler noun for agreement) in general language.
- Pronouncing it /ˈkɒnkɔːdəns/ (stress on first syllable). Correct stress is on the second syllable.
- Confusing 'concordance' (the list) with 'concordancer' (the software tool that creates it).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word used almost exclusively in formal, academic, or technical contexts, particularly in linguistics, literary studies, and textual analysis.
An index typically lists topics, names, and selected terms with page numbers. A concordance lists every occurrence (or a significant sample) of a specific word or phrase, often showing the immediate context (a 'concordance line'), making it a more exhaustive tool for studying word usage.
Yes, but this meaning is formal and less common than the technical 'word list' meaning. In modern usage, 'agreement', 'accord', or 'harmony' are more frequent choices for expressing this concept in non-specialist contexts.
The verb 'to concordance' exists but is highly technical and jargon-specific to corpus linguistics (e.g., 'to concordance a text'). It is not used in general English.
A comprehensive alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or by an author, showing their contexts and frequency.
Concordance is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Concordance: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈkɔːd(ə)ns/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈkɔːrdns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In concordance with (formal) – e.g., 'The decision was made in concordance with company policy.'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a musical CONCERT where all instruments are in perfect agreement. A CONCORD-ANCE is a state of 'agreement' or a tool that shows how words 'agree' (appear together) in a text.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEXT IS A MAP / KNOWLEDGE IS A STRUCTURE. A concordance is a map to the territory of a text, structuring knowledge about word usage.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'concordance' MOST specifically and frequently used?