consequence

A2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

Also spelled consekens

US /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwɛns/ UK /ˈkɒn.sɪ.kwɛns/ See IPA manual

Freq #9695

Meanings

1

noun
A result or effect of an action or situation.

He drove too fast, and as a consequence he lost his licence.
2

noun
Importance or significance.

My opinion seems to be of no consequence to my parents.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a result or effect of an... effect result outcome aftermath event

2 noun · importance or significance. importance significance moment value

More aftercome

Word family

Forms consequences

Derived forms consequencelessinconsequencemisconsequencenonconsequence

Related forms causality effect impact

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

Tell the truth and take the consequences

Simplified etymology

Consequence, recorded from Late Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin sequi, meaning “to follow.” It belongs to the same word family as sequel and sequence.

Etymology

From Middle English consequence, from Old French consequence, from Latin consequentia. While analysable as con- + sequence, its adjective form has a different origin.

*sekʷ- Proto-Indo-European consequence Middle English consequentia Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

External links

# consequence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwɛns/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒn.sɪ.kwɛns/
**Frequency rank:** 9695

## Meanings
1. A result or effect of an action or situation.
2. Importance or significance.

## Examples
- He drove too fast, and as a consequence he lost his licence.
- My opinion seems to be of no consequence to my parents.

## Synonyms
- aftercome

## Derived Forms
- consequenceless
- inconsequence
- misconsequence
- nonconsequence

## Related Forms
- causality
- effect
- impact

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sekʷ-
- Root: consequence
- Root: consequentia

## Etymology
From Middle English consequence, from Old French consequence, from Latin consequentia. While analysable as con- + sequence, its adjective form has a different origin.

## AI Etymology
consequence is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English consequence, from Old French consequence, from Latin consequentia. While analysable as con- + sequence, its adjective form has a different origin. Historical forms in the chain include *sekʷ- (Proto-Indo-European), consequence (Middle English), consequence (Old French), and consequentia (Latin). Current senses include a result or effect of an action or situation and importance or significance. Derived forms include consequenceless, inconsequence, misconsequence, and nonconsequence. Related words include causality, effect, and impact.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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