Conformity

How to spell conformity

10 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce conformity

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does conformity mean?

1. nounBehaviour, action, or appearance that matches accepted rules, standards, or expectations.

Conformity in a sentence

• The inspector checked the wiring for conformity with the building code.

• The dress code enforced a strict conformity among the office staff.

Where does conformity come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word traces back to the Latin verb conformare, which combined con- meaning 'together' or 'with' and formare meaning 'to shape', so the literal sense was to shape one thing to match another. From this came the Latin noun conformitas, describing a likeness or agreement in shape. English took the word in the early 1400s by way of Old French conformite, originally in religious and legal contexts where it meant agreement with an established standard or doctrine. Over time the meaning broadened to cover any behaviour, opinion, or product that matches an accepted rule or norm. The same form root sits inside relatives such as 'reform', 'transform', and 'uniform', and remembering that shared 'form' is the easiest way to keep the spelling steady through the unstressed middle.

How the word is built

• con- (together, with)
• form (shape)
• -ity (noun-forming suffix)