correlation
gb/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/ us/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
B2
Inglés
~ 7400
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B2
relation
1
relationship where things vary together
A connection between two things where, when one changes, the other often changes too. It does not mean that one is the cause of the other.
Patrón de uso:
a correlation between [thing A] and [thing B]
Error frecuente:
Learners often think "correlation" means the same as "cause" or "causation". However, correlation only shows that two things change together, not that one makes the other happen. Also, learners sometimes use the wrong structure, saying *"the correlation of A and B"* instead of the more natural *"the correlation between A and B"* in general writing.
Sinónimos
association (Common in statistics and research; very close in meaning, but slightly more formal and broad.)
|
relationship (More general and everyday; does not always suggest measured or studied links.)
|
connection (Very general; can sound less precise or scientific than "correlation".)
Antónimos
independence (In statistics and logic, used when two things do not affect or relate to each other in a measurable way.)
Colocaciones
a strong correlation
|a positive correlation
|a negative correlation
|a direct correlation
|a high correlation
|a statistical correlation
Temas
science
|statistics
|research
|society
|education
Ejemplos
- Researchers found a strong correlation between regular exercise and better sleep quality.
- There is a clear correlation between education level and income in many countries.
- The study showed no significant correlation between coffee consumption and heart disease.
- We need more data to understand the correlation between screen time and mental health.
- A high correlation between two variables does not prove that one causes the other.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- There is a strong correlation between smoking and lung problems.
- The teacher talked about the correlation between study time and exam scores.
- Scientists saw a correlation between air pollution and asthma cases.
- We cannot say there is a correlation from only three examples.
- The graph shows a clear correlation between age and voting habits.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
quantity
2
numerical measure of relationship
In statistics, a number that shows how strong the link is between two things and whether they increase or decrease together.
Patrón de uso:
to calculate the correlation between [variable A] and [variable B]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse the everyday idea of a "connection" with the strict statistical meaning of a correlation value. They may also think that any relationship must have a high correlation, forgetting that correlation usually describes linear relationships and can be low even when a curved pattern exists.
Sinónimos
correlation coefficient (More specific technical term for the numeric value representing correlation.)
|
measure of association (Broader technical term for any statistic that describes the relationship between variables.)
Antónimos
zero correlation (Refers to the specific case where the measure shows no linear relationship between variables.)
Colocaciones
correlation coefficient
|Pearson correlation
|Spearman correlation
|compute the correlation
|pairwise correlation
|high correlation value
Temas
statistics
|mathematics
|science
|education
Ejemplos
- The Pearson correlation between height and weight in the sample was 0.78.
- We calculated the correlation to see how closely the two sets of data were related.
- A correlation of -0.9 indicates a very strong negative linear relationship.
- They reported a modest correlation of 0.3 between the two test scores.
- Before running the model, she checked the pairwise correlation among all variables.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The correlation between these two numbers is 0.6.
- In this class we learn how to find the correlation between variables.
- A correlation close to 1 means the two things go up together.
- A correlation close to -1 means when one goes up, the other goes down.
- If the correlation is zero, there is no clear line link between them.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
correlation
AFI
GB/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
US/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
Sílabas y acento
cor - rel - a - tion (4 sílabas)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: correlation
- Plural: correlations
Familia de palabras
Forms
correlations
noun
Core family
correlate
verb B2
Related words
correlational
adjective C1
correlative
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
uncorrelated
adjective
Expresiones
correlation does not imply causation
1/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən dˈʌz nˈɑt ɪmplˈaɪ kˌɔzˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
warning not to confuse cause and link
Even if two things happen together or change together, this does not prove that one thing causes the other.
Ejemplos
- The professor reminded the class that correlation does not imply causation when they tried to explain the results.
- Journalists should remember that correlation does not imply causation before claiming that one behavior causes another.
correlation does not imply causation
1/kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən dˈʌz nˈɑt ɪmplˈaɪ kˌɔzˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
association is not proof
just because two things happen together does not mean one caused the other
Ejemplos
- Ice cream sales and sunburns both rise in summer, but correlation does not imply causation.
- The article was careful to note that correlation does not imply causation.
- Higher screen time was linked with poor sleep, but correlation does not imply causation.
direct correlation
2/dɪɹˈɛkt kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
two things change same way
A relationship where both things move in the same way: when one increases, the other increases, and when one decreases, the other decreases.
Ejemplos
- There is a direct correlation between practice time and skill level.
- Many people assume a direct correlation between price and quality, but that is not always true.
in correlation with
3/ˈɪn kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
formal
in a related way to
Happening or changing in a way that is linked with something else.
Ejemplos
- The policy changes must be considered in correlation with recent economic trends.
- The increase in cases occurred in correlation with the arrival of colder weather.
inverse correlation
4/ɪnvˈɚs kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
two things change opposite ways
A relationship where, when one thing goes up, the other goes down, and when one goes down, the other goes up.
Ejemplos
- The economists observed an inverse correlation between unemployment and consumer spending.
- There is an inverse correlation between the price of a bond and its yield.
negative correlation
5/nˈɛɡɪtɪv kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
when one rises, other falls
A situation where, when one thing goes up, the other tends to go down, and when one goes down, the other tends to go up.
Ejemplos
- There is a negative correlation between exercise and body fat percentage.
- The study found a strong negative correlation between smoking and lung capacity.
positive correlation
6/pˈɑzɪtɪv kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
when two things rise together
A situation where, when one thing goes up, the other also tends to go up, and when one goes down, the other tends to go down.
Ejemplos
- There is a positive correlation between years of education and average salary.
- The data show a positive correlation between advertising spending and sales.
strong correlation
7/stɹˈɔŋ kˌɔɹəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
very close relationship
A very clear and close link between how two things change.
Ejemplos
- The researchers reported a strong correlation between stress levels and sleep problems.
- A strong correlation does not automatically mean that one factor causes the other.