correlation vs. corollary : Commonly confused words | Vocabulary.com
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Commonly Confused Words
correlation/
corollary
A correlation is exactly what it sounds like: a co-relation, or relationship — like the correlation between early birds waking up and the sun rising. But corollary is more like a consequence, like the corollary of the rooster crowing because you smacked it in the beak. Both words love the math lab but can hang with the rest of us, too.
A correlation is a relationship, but not a cause and effect one. In statistics, a correlation is some connection between random variables or data values. Since correlation is a kind of relation, it's often followed by "between." Here are some examples of correlations out in the world:
Correlation is not necessarily causation, so I'm sure this has nothing to do with the departure of Rahm Emanuel. (New York Times)
Employment looks good on a resume — There’s a strong correlation between teenagers with part-time jobs and good GPAs and college expectations. (Time)
Corollary, on the other hand, is one thing naturally following another. In mathematics, a theorem is a statement proven true through reasoning. Its corollary is a statement so closely related that it doesn't need to be proven independently. For the rest of us, it's more like the aftermath of something. Let's look at some examples:
The corollary to this finding is that dairy products have no effect on cough, he said. (New York Times)
There is a natural foreign policy corollary: those who see America as a work in progress are less likely to view it as exceptional. (Time)
How can non-math geniuses keep the two straight? Remember that correlation has an equal, though not necessarily defined, relationship. Corollary is more like a consequence.
Print
Definition:
corollary
Corollary describes a result that is the natural consequence of something else. You could say that your renewed love of books is a corollary to the recent arrival of a book store in your neighborhood. Continue reading...
Definition:
correlation
Correlation is something that scientists are often trying to show––is there a correlation between smoking and poor health or between napping and productivity? How about daily flossing and good grades? Continue reading...
More Commonly Confused Words
abhorrent / aberrant
accept / except
ado / adieu
adopt / adapt
adverse / averse
affect / effect
afflict / inflict
aggravate / irritate
allot / a lot
allowed / aloud
allude / elude
allusion / illusion / delusion
alter / altar
alternate / alternative
ambiguous / ambivalent
amicable / amiable
amoral / immoral
amuse / bemuse
anecdote / antidote
appraise / apprise
ascent / assent
assume / presume
assure / ensure / insure
aural / oral / verbal
aver / avow
bail / bale
bare / bear
base / bass
bazaar / bizarre
border / boarder
brake / break
breach / breech
bridal / bridle
broach / brooch
callus / callous
cannon / canon
canvas / canvass
capital / capitol
censor / censure
cereal / serial
chord / cord
cite / site / sight
climactic / climatic
complement / compliment
complicit / complacent / complaisant
compose / comprise
conceptional / conceptual / contextual
concurrent / consecutive
confident / confidant(e)
connotation / denotation
connote / denote
conscious / conscience
contemptible / contemptuous
continual / continuous
correlation / corollary
council / counsel
currant / current
decent / descent / dissent
deer / dear
definitely / definitively
demur / demure
desert / dessert
didactic / pedantic
disassemble / dissemble
discomfit / discomfort
discreet / discrete
disillusion / dissolution
disinterested / uninterested
disperse / disburse
dual / duel
economic / economical
elicit / illicit
elusive / illusive
emigrate / immigrate / migrate
eminent / imminent / immanent
empathy / sympathy
endemic / epidemic
entitle / title
entomology / etymology
envelop / envelope
envy / jealousy
epidemic / pandemic
epigram / epigraph
epitaph / epithet
especially / specially
exalt / exult
exercise / exorcise
expedient / expeditious
extant / extent
facetious / factious / fatuous
factious / fractious
faint / feint
farther / further
fawn / faun
faze / phase
ferment / foment
fictional / fictitious / fictive
figuratively / literally
flair / flare
flaunt / flout
flounder / founder
font / fount
formerly / formally
formidable / formative
fortunate / fortuitous
gambit / gamut
gibe / jibe
gig / jig
gorilla / guerrilla
grisly / gristly / grizzly
hale / hail
healthful / healthy
hero / protagonist
hew / hue
historic / historical
hoard / horde
homonym / homophone / homograph
hone / home
hostile / hostel
imply / infer
incredible / incredulous
indeterminate / indeterminable
indict / indite
inflammable / inflammatory
ingenious / ingenuous
insidious / invidious
instant / instance
intense / intensive / intent
introvert / extrovert
irony / satire / sarcasm
it's / its
laudable / laudatory
lay / lie
legislature / legislator
levee / levy
loath / loathe
lone / loan
lose / loose
luxuriant / luxurious
main / mane
manner / manor
mantle / mantel
marital / martial
maximal / maximum
mean / median / average
medal / meddle / mettle
metaphor / simile
moral / morale
morbid / moribund
muscle / mussel
nauseated / nauseous
naval / navel
objective / subjective
optimistic / pessimistic
overdue / overdo
palate / palette / pallet
palmed off / pawned off
paradox / oxymoron
parameter / perimeter
parody / parity
peak / peek / pique
peddle / pedal / petal
persecute / prosecute
personal / personnel
pitiable / pitiful / piteous / pitiless
plain / plane
pore / pour
practical / practicable
pragmatic / dogmatic
precede / proceed
precedent / president
predominate / predominant
premier / premiere
prescribe / proscribe
pretentious / portentous
principal / principle
prophecy / prophesy
prophet / profit
prostate / prostrate
quote / quotation
rebut / refute
regrettably / regretfully
reluctant / reticent
respectfully / respectively
sac / sack
scrimp / skimp
sensor / censor / censer
sensual / sensuous
simple / simplistic
slight / sleight
stationary / stationery
statue / statute
steal / steel
than / then
that / which
their / there / they're
tortuous / torturous
troop / troupe
turbid / turgid
unconscionable / unconscious
undo / undue
unexceptional / unexceptionable
vain / vein / vane
venal / venial
veracious / voracious
wave / waive
weather / whether / wether
who / whom
who's / whose
wreck / wreak / reek
your / you're
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Vocabulary.com, Inc.
A division of IXL Learning •
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