a. [f. L. congru-us (see CONGRUE a.) + -OUS.]
1. Agreeing or corresponding in character or qualities; accordant, conformable, agreeable, suitable, in harmony. Const. to († unto, † for), now usually with.
1599. Life Sir T. More, in C. Wordsworth, Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 183. All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish.
1622. Sparrow, Bk. Com. Prayer (1661), 225. How congruous the Lord’s day is for such a work.
1656. Jeanes, Mixt. Schol. Div., 89. It is congruous unto Divine Justice, that satisfaction should be given to God, [etc.].
1659. B. Harris, Parival’s Iron Age, 30. The doctrine was … no wise congruous with that of the foure Primitive ages.
1762. Kames, Elem. Crit., x. (1833), 164. No discipline is more suitable to man, nor more congruous to the dignity of his nature.
1792. Resid. in France (1797), I. 152. This is all congruous with the system of the day.
1834. Good, Study of Med. (ed. 4), IV. 168. In Congruous Twinning, or ordinary twin cases, in which there is no disparity of size between the two.
a. 1878. Lewes, Study Psychol. (1879), 146. What is congruous with well-being, what in the ancient phrase is ‘according to nature.’
1883. A. Roberts, O. T. Revis., ii. 33. It contains narratives … so congruous to the circumstances of the history.
† b. Corresponding in physical structure or molecular constitution. Cf. CONGRUITY 1 b.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., III. 157. Certain extrinsecal particles, which approching to the stone, and finding congruous pores, and inlets therein, are channel’d through it.
1674. Grew, Anat. Plants, Lect. i. 232. And may serve to mix such Bodies, as through the small number of their congruous parts, are hardly mingleable any other way. Ibid. To mix them by mediation of some third … Body, which may be congruous in part to them both.
2. Corresponding or agreeable a. to what is right, reasonable, or becoming; b. to the facts or existing circumstances; suited to the requirements of the case: fitting, suitable, appropriate, in place.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 78. 330. This is a congruous sense, and true in the substance of it.
1659. Parl. Speech Other Ho., 1 It is but congruous it should consist of Members without family.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. Pref. The Stoics cal that which is done according to the obedience of Reason and Virtue προσηκον και καθηκον, congruous and convenient.
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 33. That it be in a congruous and fitting place.
1768. Pennant, Zool., I. 159. As the names … do by no means suit their colors, we have taken the liberty of changing them to others more congruous.
1804. Abp. Laurence, Bampt. Lect., iv. A grant, which it is congruous in Him to give.
1861. Wright, Ess. Archæol., II. xviii. 123. The side ornaments are not very congruous grotesques.
3. Self-accordant, coherent, having internal agreement or harmony of parts.
1753. Smollett, Ct. Fathom, lix. Had not her tale been congruous, consistent, and distinct.
1861. E. Garbett, Boyle Lect., 45. The subject of the revelation is single and congruous throughout.
1862. Thornbury, Turner, I. 296. Of course, the city is no more African than it is Esquimaux; still it is a congruous dream.
† 4. Of language: Observing the rules of concord, grammatically correct. Cf. CONGRUITY 4.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 50. That … none be admitted to that function of the holie Ministrie but they who understand Latin, and can speake congruous Latin.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 85. I am of opinion that the pure congruous grammaticall Latine was never spoken in either of them [France or Spain] as a vulgar vernacular Language.
5. Theol. Congruous grace [med.L. gratia congrua, F. grâce congrue]: ‘grace proportioned to the effect which it is to produce, or to the disposition of him who receives it’ (Littré); efficient grace; congruous vocation, effectual calling. Cf. CONGRUITY 5 b.
1683. J. Corbet, Free Actions, III. xx. 41. Congruous Grace, By congruous is meant that which is so thoroughly adapted to the effect that it will follow infallibly though freely: but Grace meerly sufficient, may be ordinarily not so throughly adapted to the effect. Ibid. Congruous Vocation, in which there is a Divine gracious Influx upon the Faculty … by which the Will is infallibly carried to the saving effect.
† 6. Geom. Coincident; capable of being exactly superposed. Obs.
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos., II. xiv. § 6. If it incline any way, it will do more than touch it; that is, it will either be congruous to it, or it will cut it.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., xxxi. 229. If the exquisitly polish’d surfaces of two flat peeces of marble be so congruous to each other that from their mutuall application there will result an immediate contact.
7. Theory of numbers. Characterized by congruence: CONGRUENT 5.
[1801. C. F. Gauss, Disq. Arithmet., § 1. Si numerus a numerorum b, c differentiam metitur, b et c secundum a congrui dicuntur.]
1859. H. J. S. Smith, Theory of Numbers, Brit. Assoc. Rep. If the difference between A and B be divisible by a number P, A is said to be congruous to B for the modulus P.
