accordance

Accordance is a noun that denotes the state or quality of being in agreement, harmony, or conformity with a rule, standard, or another party. It is most often used in formal, legal, or administrative writing to indicate compliance, alignment, or compatibility with a prescribed norm.

Originating from Old French accorder and related Latin roots, the noun accordance emerged in English to express the idea of coming into agreement or alignment. The principal collocation is "in accordance with," which links actions or decisions to laws, contracts, or guidelines.

In practice, "in accordance with" means "in compliance with" or "as required by." Examples include: "The report was prepared in accordance with the applicable standards." "Procedures were conducted in accordance with the organization's policies." The term "accordance" by itself is less common in everyday speech and is typically found in formal prose.

Distinctions with related terms: "accord" can refer to a mutual agreement or a harmonious relationship (such as a political accord), whereas "accordance" emphasizes conformity with a standard rather than a bilateral pledge. Other related concepts include conformity, compliance, consistency, and harmony, which describe various forms of alignment with rules, norms, or expectations.

See also: conformity, compliance, consistency, harmony, standard, regulation.