C2nounformalacademicscience
US/ˌkɔːr.əˈleɪ.ʃən/
UK/ˌkɒr.əˈleɪ.ʃən/
a connection between two things, where one changes when the other changes
In context
The study found a strong correlation between reading at home and vocabulary size.
Correlation does not prove causation, so we cannot say that one causes the other.
There was little correlation between hours spent studying and final grades.
Words that go with correlation
noun + preposition
- correlation betweenIs there a correlation between screen time and anxiety?
adjective + noun
- strong correlationThere is a strong correlation between income and life expectancy.
- positive correlationThe data show a positive correlation between exercise and mood.
- negative correlationThere is a negative correlation between class size and test scores.
- weak correlationThe study found only a weak correlation between diet and grades.
verb + noun
- find a correlationResearchers failed to find a correlation between the two variables.