correspondency: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareFormal, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “correspondency” mean?
A state of agreement, consistency, or communication between two or more things or parties.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of agreement, consistency, or communication between two or more things or parties.
The act or state of corresponding; communication by exchange of letters; a similarity, analogy, or parallelism in function, position, or structure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
There is no significant difference in modern usage, as the term is equally rare and archaic in both varieties. Any historical use would have been consistent across both.
Connotations
Archaising, formal, perhaps slightly pretentious if used consciously today.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties. Lexicographically noted as obsolete or archaic.
Grammar
How to Use “correspondency” in a Sentence
correspondency between X and Ycorrespondency with Xcorrespondency in [respect]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “correspondency” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No direct verb form. Use 'correspond'.] The data must correspond with the model's predictions.
American English
- [No direct verb form. Use 'correspond'.] His account should correspond to the witness statements.
adverb
British English
- [No direct adverb form. Use 'correspondingly'.] Costs rose, and prices were correspondingly increased.
American English
- [No direct adverb form. Use 'correspondingly'.] As demand fell, production was correspondingly reduced.
adjective
British English
- [No direct adjective form. Use 'corresponding'.] We noted the corresponding figures in the ledger.
American English
- [No direct adjective form. Use 'corresponding'.] Each department has a corresponding budget line.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. 'Correspondence' is the standard term for business letters and communication.
Academic
Might appear in historical, philosophical, or literary studies when quoting or discussing older texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Obsolete in technical registers; 'correspondence', 'mapping', or 'correlation' are used instead.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “correspondency”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “correspondency”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “correspondency”
- Using 'correspondency' in modern writing instead of 'correspondence'.
- Misspelling as 'correspondance' (French influence) or 'correspondency' with an 'a'.
- Assuming it is a more formal variant of 'correspondence' and using it to sound sophisticated.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is classified as archaic or obsolete. It was used in the 16th-18th centuries but has been entirely superseded by 'correspondence' in modern English.
You should not, unless you are deliberately mimicking archaic style or quoting a historical source. Using it will be seen as an error or an affectation. Always use 'correspondence'.
There is no semantic difference. 'Correspondency' is simply the older, now obsolete form of the noun 'correspondence'.
Lexicographers include it with labels like 'archaic' or 'obsolete' for historical completeness and to aid readers of older texts. Its inclusion does not indicate current usage.
A state of agreement, consistency, or communication between two or more things or parties.
Correspondency: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒr.ɪˈspɒn.dən.si/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɔːr.əˈspɑːn.dən.si/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms use this specific archaic form]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Correspondency' is the archaic twin of 'Correspondence'. Both end in '-ency', but one is retired.
Conceptual Metaphor
CORRESPONDENCY IS ALIGNMENT (of parts, ideas, or communications).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct, modern equivalent of the archaic noun 'correspondency'?