Definition of concur

The word "concur" originates from the Latin verb "concurnere," which can be translated as "to run together" or "to come together." In Latin, "con-" serves as a prefix meaning "together," while "-curnere" comes from the roots "curro" and "urno," which mean "to run" and "to whirl" or "to turn around," respectively. The Latin word "concurnere" was first used in the sense of "agreeing or uniting on a point," and it was sometimes employed as an equivalent for the Greek term "symballein" (συμβάλλειν), derived from "syn-" ("together") and "balléin" ("to throw" or "place"). This term conveyed the idea of having something in common, of being "thrown together" around a shared idea or aspiration. As "concurnere" gained traction in the Latin vocabulary, it came to signify a variety of phenomena, such as the coincidence of events, the coordination of activities, or the harmony of opinions. Eventually, in English, "concur" came to be used in its current form, as a synonym of "agree" or "consent," to indicate an overall sentiment or position taken by multiple parties with regard to a certain matter. Thus, the word "concur" retains traces of its linguistic and conceptual roots, as a testament to the Latin language and culture that has contributed so much to the development of Western thought.