connivance
UK: kəˈnaɪvəns | US: kəˈnaɪvəns
n. Secretly allowing or ignoring wrongdoing, often with implied consent.
n. Tacit cooperation or passive approval of an illegal or unethical act.
connivance = con<together> + niv<wink> + ance<noun suffix>
- con<together>: From Latin con- (with, together), indicating joint action.
- niv<wink>: From Latin nivere (to wink), metaphorically implying turning a blind eye.
- ance<noun suffix>: Forms nouns denoting a state or action (e.g., tolerance, dominance).
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin conniventia (a winking agreement), connivance originally described literal winking as a signal of covert understanding. Over time, it evolved to signify passive complicity—silently enabling misconduct by feigning ignorance. The morphemes reflect collaboration (con-) and deliberate inaction (niv-), capturing the word’s essence of concealed approval.
The manager’s connivance in the fraud scandal cost the company millions.
Political connivance allowed the corrupt law to pass unnoticed.
She suspected her colleague’s connivance in the office thefts.
The teacher’s connivance at bullying undermined trust in the school.
Historical regimes often relied on public connivance to maintain power.