co·gen·cy

[koh-juhn-see]
noun
the quality or state of being convincing or persuasive: The cogency of the argument was irrefutable.

Origin:
1680–90; cog(ent) + -ency

non·co·gen·cy, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To cogency
Collins
World English Dictionary
cogent (ˈkəʊdʒənt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
compelling belief or assent; forcefully convincing
 
[C17: from Latin cōgent-, cōgēns, driving together, from cōgere, from co- together + agere to drive]
 
'cogency
 
n
 
'cogently
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Cogency is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

cogency
1690, from cogent (q.v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Aesthetics are not irrelevant in explaining reality, but they must take second place to cogency.
He is almost certainly right that a relationship exists, but there may be question of its cogency.
Still, the underlying reasons for it have some cogency.
However, only three of the five students made gains related to writing clarity and cogency.
Related Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT