consort

1 of 3

noun (1)

con·​sort ˈkän-ˌsȯrt 

1

: associate

the criminal and his consorts

2

: a ship accompanying another

… he could see the brown sail and the red sail of their consorts …

—C. S. Forester

3

: spouse compare prince consort, queen consort

consort

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: conjunction, association

He ruled in consort with his father.

2

: group, assembly

a consort of specialists

3

a

: a group of singers or instrumentalists performing together

b

: a set of musical instruments of the same family

consort

3 of 3

verb

con·​sort kən-ˈsȯrt 

kän-ˈsȯrt,

ˈkän-ˌsȯrt

consorted; consorting; consorts

transitive verb

1

: unite, associate

2

obsolete : escort

intransitive verb

1

: to keep company

consorting with criminals

2

obsolete : to make harmony : play

3

: accord, harmonize

The illustrations consort admirably with the text.

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• better half
• mate
• partner
• significant other
• spouse

Noun (2)

• array
• band
• batch
• battery
• body
• boodle
• bunch
• cluster
• clutch
• constellation
• crop
• group
• grouping
• huddle
• knot
• lot
• parcel
• party
• passel

Verb

• associate
• chum
• company
• consociate
• fraternize
• hang (around or out)
• hobnob
• hook up
• mess around
• pal (around)
• run
• sort
• travel

Examples of consort in a Sentence

Noun (1)

it is the queen's eldest son and not her consort who is next in line for the throne

Noun (2)

a consort of doctors attended the case

hired a consort of madrigal singers to perform at the wedding reception

Verb

at college she began consorting with drug users, eventually becoming an addict herself

the restaurant's sophisticated menu consorts seamlessly with its sleek, modern ambience

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Following a state visit by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan in June, King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the Amir of Qatar and his first wife and consort on December 3 and December 4, Buckingham Palace announced on Oct. 11. —Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024

The King wasn’t able to carry out the duty last year due to his cancer treatment, and his wife stepped in to do so, making history as the first consort to lead the ancient tradition. —Simon Perry, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025

Verb

In Riley’s world, the women who consort with such men have been emptied of their confidence and are merely mimicking the men’s aggressive insistence with their own passive-aggressive survivalism. —James Wood, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023

Pandemic scofflaws like this man are making decisions for other people — people who might not have chosen, say, to consort with the unvaccinated. —New York Times, 15 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin consort-, consors partner, sharer, from com- + sort-, sors lot, share — more at series

Noun (2)

Middle French consorte, from consort — see consort entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing consort

• consort with
• prince consort
• queen consort

Rhymes for consort

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• deport
• distort
• escort
• exhort
• extort
• forecourt

Kids Definition

consort

1 of 2 noun

con·​sort ˈkän-ˌsȯ(ə)rt 

1

: associate

2

: spouse

consort

2 of 2 verb

con·​sort

kən-ˈsȯ(ə)rt

: to go together as companions : associate

consorting with criminals