noun

consistence

kun-SIS-tuns/kʌnsˈɪstʌns/

The thickness or firmness of a substance.

The honey's thick consistence makes it drip slowly from the wooden spoon.

Thick honey slowly drips from a wooden spoon into a clear glass bowl, texture and firmness emphasized.

Etymology

conLatintogether

+sistLatinto place, set standing

+enceMedieval Latinstate or quality

The image is of matter “standing together” or holding firm. This developed into the physical sense of coherence and solidity, including how thick or dense a substance is.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain382:17

… proper food for the Flies of certain gums oils and other glutenous matter to give a strength and consistence to the threads

1700s Satire: Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's Travels (Audiobook)

More examples

Add water until the dough reaches a soft consistence.
The cream develops a firmer consistence as it cools.
The clay's sticky consistence makes it difficult to handle.

Forms

consistence

Similar words

consistency: The usual everyday term for this same substance quality.
thickness: Emphasizes how dense a substance is or how slowly it flows.
firmness: Emphasizes resistance to pressure rather than ease of flow.