connivance
UK[kəˈnaɪvəns]US[kəˈnaɪvəns]
n
The act of allowing or secretly helping something wrong or illegal to happen.
Morpheme Breakdown
connive
ance
connive
ance
Etymology
The word 'connivance' originates from the Latin verb connivēre, meaning 'to close the eyes' or 'to wink'. This literal action evolved metaphorically to signify willfully overlooking or pretending not to see something, often a fault or transgression. The suffix '-ance' was added to form a noun describing the state or act of such deliberate inaction. Thus, the modern abstract meaning of secret cooperation or tacit permission for wrongdoing logically stems from the ancient concept of closing one's eyes to it.
Analysis
Structure: connive + ance
- connive: From Latin connivēre (to close the eyes, wink at, feign ignorance).
- ance: A noun-forming suffix of French/Latin origin (-antia), indicating an action, state, or quality.
Examples
The fraud occurred with the connivance of several senior managers.
He could not have succeeded without the connivance of local officials.
Her silence was seen as connivance in the cover-up.