consensus

/kənˈsɛnsəs/

//kənˈsɛnsəs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"consensus" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“consensus” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,039 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,039
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A process of decision-making that seeks widespread agreement among group members.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

consensus vs consensual
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for consensus
PropertyValue
Headwordconsensus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈsɛnsəs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#6,039
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “consensus” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). consensus lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for consensus is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈsɛnsəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,039 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for consensus, with forms such as "cconsensus", "cnosensus", and "conesnsus". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "consensual", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin cōnsēnsus (“agreement, accordance, unanimity”), from cōnsentiō (“feel together; agree”); see consent. The correct English form is consensus, spelled C-O-N-S-E-N-S-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A process of decision-making that seeks widespread agreement among group members.
  2. 2
    General agreement among the members of a given group or community, each member of which exercises some discretion in decision-making and follow-up action.
  3. 3
    An agreement on some data value that is needed during computation.
  4. 4
    Average projected value.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cōnsēnsus (“agreement, accordance, unanimity”), from cōnsentiō (“feel together; agree”); see consent.

Antonyms

dissensus

This word in other languages

consenso(Español)consensus(Français)Konsens(Deutsch)consenso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconsensus,cnosensus,conesnsus,connsensus,consennsus,consenssu,consenssus,consensuss,consenuss,consesnus,consnesus,conssensus,cosnensus,ocnsensus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of consensus - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cconsensus1cnosensus2conesnsus2connsensus1consennsus1consenssu2consenssus1consensuss1
Edit distance from "consensus"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "consensus"?
"consensus" is spelled C-O-N-S-E-N-S-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈsɛnsəs/.
What does "consensus" mean?
As a noun, "consensus" means: A process of decision-making that seeks widespread agreement among group members.
What words are commonly confused with "consensus"?
"consensus" is commonly confused with "consensual". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "consensus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "consensus" is /kənˈsɛnsəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "consensus"?
Borrowed from Latin cōnsēnsus (“agreement, accordance, unanimity”), from cōnsentiō (“feel together; agree”); see consent. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “consensus”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-S-E-N-S-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kənˈsɛnsəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “consensual” - see the side-by-side comparison. consensus vs consensual
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list