convenience

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin convenientia, from conveniens (“suitable”), present participle of convenire (“to come together, suit”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kənˈviːnɪəns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

convenience (countable and uncountable, plural conveniences)

1. The quality of being convenient.
   • Shakespeare

     Let's further think of this;
     Weigh what convenience both of time and means
     May fit us to our shape.

   Fast food is popular because of its cost and convenience.

2. Those things which make life more convenient.
   • Cowper

     Thus first Necessity invented stools,
     Convenience next suggested elbow-chairs […]

   • Jonathan Swift

     A pair of spectacles and several other little conveniences.

3. A convenient time

   ...at your convenience...

4. (chiefly Britain) Clipping of public convenience: a public lavatory.

Verb

convenience (third-person singular simple present conveniences, present participle conveniencing, simple past and past participle convenienced)

1. to make convenient
   • These are equally viable times and I propose we alternate between the two times in order to convenience as many people as possible.

Further reading

• convenience in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• convenience at OneLook Dictionary Search