consistently
/kənˈsɪstəntli/
adverb
Origin
Latin
consistere — to stand firm, stand together, or be consistent
Overview
Meaning Now
- in a way that does not change over time; uniform in action or character.
- in a manner compatible with other facts, principles, or beliefs; without contradiction.
Literal older meaning
standing together
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
consistently
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The word stems from the Latin 'consistere', emphasizing the stability of a physical stance. By the Enlightenment, the term was increasingly used in philosophical and logical contexts to describe ideas or actions that did not contradict each other.
Evolution
- Latin
consistere
“to stand together, stop, persist”
From 'com-' (together) + 'sistere' (to cause to stand/stand still).
- Middle French
consistant
“remaining, solid, coherent”
- English, 17th century
consistent
“agreeing, compatible”
- English, 17th century
consistently
“in a consistent manner”
Addition of the adverbial suffix '-ly'.
Connections
Word parts
con-
prefix
together
sist
root
to stand
-ent
suffix
forming an adjective
-ly
suffix
forming an adverb
Related across languages
French
consistant
consistent
Spanish
consistentemente
consistently
Explore next
Related to consistently
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.