inconsistency

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/ UK /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
lack of consistency, or a detail that conflicts with another

The auditor flagged an inconsistency between the two ledgers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · lack of consistency, or a... discrepancy contradiction incongruity variability disparity conflict

Opposites

consistency uniformity coherence agreement

Word family

Related forms inconsistent consistency consistent consist

Etymology

From in- ('not') + consistency, from Latin consistere ('to stand firm, take a position'), from com- ('together') + sistere ('to set, stand').

consistere Latin sistere Latin *steh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# inconsistency

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/

## Meanings
1. lack of consistency, or a detail that conflicts with another

## Examples
- The auditor flagged an inconsistency between the two ledgers.

## Synonyms
- discrepancy
- contradiction
- incongruity
- variability
- disparity
- conflict

## Antonyms
- consistency
- uniformity
- coherence
- agreement

## Related Forms
- inconsistent
- consistency
- consistent
- consist

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: consistere
- Root: sistere
- Root: *steh₂-

## Etymology
From in- ('not') + consistency, from Latin consistere ('to stand firm, take a position'), from com- ('together') + sistere ('to set, stand').

## AI Etymology
inconsistency comes from in- ('not') + consistency, from Latin consistere ('to stand firm, take a position'), from com- ('together') + sistere ('to set, stand'). Morphologically, the prefixed shape matters: the initial element belongs to the recorded formation and helps explain the modern form's surface analysis. In present English, the noun sense is "lack of consistency, or a detail that conflicts with another", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as inconsistent, consistency, consistent, and consist. Its semantic neighborhood includes discrepancy, contradiction, incongruity, and variability, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin consistere, Latin sistere, and Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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