toleration

/ˈtɑləˌreɪʃən/

Other forms: tolerations

Toleration is the practice of allowing or putting up with something, especially if you disagree with it. Religious toleration is an important founding principle of the United States.

When you tolerate something, allowing it to exist without interfering, you could say you're practicing either toleration or tolerance. Toleration tends to be used when this permission is more reluctant; if the majority of a nation's citizens practice one religion, and they very grudgingly allow other minority religions to be practiced, that's toleration. Originally defined as "permission granted by authority," toleration has a Latin root meaning "to bear or endure."

Definitions of toleration

1. noun

   a disposition to tolerate or accept people or situations
   “all people should practice toleration and live together in peace”

   synonyms: acceptance, sufferance

   types:

   self acceptance

   an acceptance of yourself as you are, warts and all

   type of:

   permissiveness, tolerance

   a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior
2. noun

   (religion) official recognition of the right of individuals to hold dissenting opinions
   type of:

   licence, license, permission, permit

   the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization