Consentual vs consensual; which of these spellings is correct? Can you use both spellings in writing? Learning more about these words will help you use them appropriately in written and spoken English contexts.
When you search for the word consentual in the dictionary, it comes up as an alternative spelling for consensual. Consensual is an adjective that means “existing or entered into by mutual consent without formalization by document/ceremony.” As a consensual contract or “an expression of consensus.”
Consentual and consensual are related words. However, are they both correct? Read on and find out as we detail all you need to know about these words.
Definition Of Consentual And Consensual
Consensual and consentual are both coined from the word consent. Therefore, you would assume that both are correct. You can derive the answer to this question in this definitions section. Below are the know meanings of the words consentual and consensual:
Definition Of Consentual
According to some online dictionaries, consentual is the alternative spelling of consensual. Therefore, this word shares the same definition as the word consensual. However, very few people use the word in this form.
Definition Of Consensual
The word consensual comes from the verb consent. So, to understand its definition, it would be wise to begin by defining the word consent. Consent means “to express willingness, to give permission, to grant, allow, or agree to an opinion or sentiment.” Now that you know what consent is, let’s look at the consensual definition.
Consensual means “with permission, consent” or “without objection or resisting.” An example in a sentence is, “Our relationship was consensual, so I do not understand why she tells everyone otherwise.”
The word consensual also comes from the noun consensus, as you can tell from its spelling. Consensus is “a decision-making process that seeks widespread agreement among parties or group members.”
So, consensual means “with consensus or group agreement.” For example, in a sentence, “According to the police report, the young man and his intern had a consensual relationship.”
In physiology, consensual is an adjective for “involuntarily correlative with a voluntary action.” For example, “The contraction of the iris when the eye opens is a consensual response.”
Also, in physiology, consensual refers to a reflexive bodily movement following stimulation from another part. For example, in a sentence, “The body’s neurons are in charge of consensual responses.”
In law, consensual means “existing or made by mutual consent of two or more parties expressed through a contract or a legal document.” Let’s look at a sentence example, “The agreement was consensual at the beginning, but towards the end, things changed.”
Also, in law, consensual means “a willing participation from all parties, especially in a legal practice or transaction.” Here is a sentence example, “The judge found the 21-year-old guilty of consensual prostitution, drug abuse, and drug dealing crimes.”
How To Properly Use Consentual And Consensual In A Sentence
You will often hear these words used in legal settings. However, if you understand their meanings, you can easily use them in daily conversations. Before using these words, consider the following information:
How To Use The Word Consentual
While consentual is an alternative form of consensual, it is not a popular word. In fact, most dictionaries do not recognize it as a correct word. Therefore, it would be best not to use this word in official or formal writing.
However, if you must use this word, and are sure that your audience will understand you, apply the same tips as those for using the word consensual.
How To Use The Word Consensual
Consensual is an adjective. An adjective is a word that describes the qualities, state, or characteristics of nouns. So, when using this word in a sentence, consider the following tips:
- Use it as an adjective to modify a noun. For example, “Jenna and Dawn’s relationship was consensual. In this sentence, the word “relationship” is a noun, and “consensual” explains the nature of the relationship. So, consensual is an adjective that modifies a noun.
- Use it as an adjective to complement linking verbs. For example, “Their relationship seemed consensual at the beginning.” In this sentence, the word “seemed” is a linking verb, and consensual is its complementing adjective.
You can use the term as an adjective in other contexts like, when involving both sides or all parties reciprocally or equally or in complete agreement.
Word Usage Posts
Consentual Vs Consensual: Differences And Similarities
The similarity between consentual and consensual is that they have the same meaning. As explained before, consentual is an alternative spelling for consensual. Therefore, they essentially are the same thing.
Another similarity between these words is that they both have four syllables. The word consentual has four syllables, “con-sen-tu-al.” On the other hand, the four syllables for the word consensual are “con-sen-su-al.”
However, they also have some key differences between the words consentual and consensual. Here are a few:
Pronunciation
While both consensual and consentual have four syllables, they do not have the same pronunciation. The pronunciation for consensual is “/kun-sen-shoo-ul/,” while the pronunciation for consentual is “/kuhn-sen-choo-uh/.”
Forming Elements
Another key difference between consentual and consentual stems from their forming elements. The forming elements for the word consentual are the consent + ual. Therefore, this word relates to “consent.” In contrast, the word consensual comes from the word consensus instead of consent. While consent and consensus are correlated terms, they are not the same. So this explains the difference between these words.
History
The word consensual came about in 1754 from the Latin word “consensus,” meaning “having to do with consent, formed by consent, or dependent on consent. However, the modern Physiological and consensual legal definitions came about in the 1950s and the late 1970s, respectively. In contrast, the word consentual comes from the Latin past participle of consensus, which is “consentire.”
List Of Examples Of Consentual And Consensual Use In Sentences
Consensual and consentual sound the same and have close spelling. That explains why most people confuse these words. However, after reading this post, you should have some clarity about these words and what sets them apart. Here are some examples to look at:
Example sentences of the word consentual
- It was a consentual agreement because both parties wanted cash instead of the property.
- The decision to sell the house was consentual because the couple wanted to sever ties with each other.
- Jane and Michael’s relationship was consentual, despite what everyone thought.
- According to the judge, the relationship between the teenager and his teacher could not be consentual because underaged individuals cannot give consent.
- After several days of disagreement, the parties made a consentual agreement to cease fire.
Example sentences of the word consensual
- The board members made a consensual agreement to postpone the meeting until next month.
- The parties made a consensual decision to walk out of the center if the board did not listen to them.
- Janice and Jammie’s decision to get a divorce after 22 years of marriage was consensual.
- One of the teachers’ biggest challenges is eliminating the mutually consensual sexual activity between teenagers in boarding schools.
- According to the police report, the relationship between the prisoner and the guard was consensual.
Conclusion
You can tell the relationship between the word consentual and consensual by checking their definition in the dictionary. Most sources refer to consentual as a less popular alternative spelling for consensual. However, others do not recognize the word as an English term. So, to be on the safe side, it would be wise not to use consentual in official writing. Instead, use the word consensual as it is more popular and globally recognized.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.