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Concordance Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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concordance

[ˈkɒŋkɔːd(ə)ns ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

language analysis

A concordance is an alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or body of work, with their immediate contexts. It allows the reader to see every occurrence of a word in a text, along with its surrounding words, providing insights into the author's use of language.

Synonyms

catalogue, index, thesaurus.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
concordance

Used in literary or academic contexts to refer to an alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or body of work with their immediate contexts. Typically found in the appendices of religious or classic texts.

  • The concordance of Shakespeare's works helped me locate every instance of the word 'love'.
  • She was consulting the Bible concordance to find relevant verses on peace.
index

Used in various contexts, like in books for listing topics, names, or subjects alphabetically with page references, or in databases for quick search and retrieval of information.

  • Please refer to the index to find information on 'climate change'.
  • The database index allows for more efficient searches.
thesaurus

Often used in linguistic or writing contexts to provide synonyms and antonyms of words, helping users find alternative ways to express the same idea.

  • Using a thesaurus can help you avoid repetitive language in your essay.
  • I checked the thesaurus to find a synonym for 'happy'.
catalogue

Typically used in commercial or educational contexts to list items available for sale or resources available in a library or collection.

  • I received the new spring catalogue from the clothing store.
  • The library's catalogue now includes hundreds of e-books.

Examples of usage

  • It is common for scholars to create concordances of ancient texts to aid in translation and analysis.
  • The concordance revealed that the author frequently used the word 'hope' in the final chapters of the novel.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'concordance'

The word 'concordance' originated from the Latin word 'concordantia', meaning 'agreement' or 'harmony'. It was first used in the context of biblical studies to refer to a list of words and their occurrences in the Bible. Over time, the term expanded to encompass any comprehensive list of words and their contexts in a text or body of work, aiding in textual analysis and interpretation.

See also: concordantly.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,846, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.