CONSENSUS


Meaning of CONSENSUS in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ kən-ˈsen(t)-səs ]

noun

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Latin, from consentire

Date: 1843

1.

a. : general agreement : unanimity

the consensus of their opinion, based on reports…from the border — John Hersey

b. : the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned

the consensus was to go ahead

2. : group solidarity in sentiment and belief

Usage:

The phrase consensus of opinion, which is not actually redundant (see sense 1a; the sense that takes the phrase is slightly older), has been so often claimed to be a redundancy that many writers avoid it. You are safe in using consensus alone when it is clear you mean consensus of opinion, and most writers in fact do so.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.