correlate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
adjective
noun
verb
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to place or be placed in a mutual, complementary, or reciprocal relationship
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(tr) to establish or show a correlation
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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noncorrelatingadjective
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uncorrelatedlyadverb
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correlatableadjective
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intercorrelateverb (used with object)
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uncorrelatedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has correlatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have correlatedperfect
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has been correlatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are correlatingprogressive
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am correlatingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been correlatingperfect progressive
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is correlatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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correlatingparticiple
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correlatessingular 3rd person
Past
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had correlatedperfect
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had been correlatingperfect progressive
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was correlatingprogressive singular
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were correlatingprogressive plural
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correlatedparticiple
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correlatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of correlate
First recorded in 1635–45; probably back formation from correlation and correlative
Explanation
If you notice that crumbs appear on your little brother's shirt whenever the cookies disappear from the cookie jar, you can say that you've correlated two facts, meaning that you've established or revealed that they're linked in a way that explains both of them. Detectives correlate pieces of evidence in order to solve crimes. For example, they might correlate a suspect’s bandaged hand with a shattered third-floor window. Correlate can also be used as a noun. Some companies promote products by suggesting that their products increase “happiness correlates,” or factors that have been shown to have a relationship with happiness, like health and friendship.
Vocabulary lists containing correlate
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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ACT Vocabulary List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A. Adult terms are not included in Google Correlate, which is meant to be a family-friendly tool.
From New York Times • Aug. 29, 2014
A. Google Correlate does not return the most common searches overall, such as searches for “weather.”
From New York Times • Aug. 29, 2014
You can upload state-level data to Google Correlate and find the queries that are most correlated with that data over the 10-year period 2004-2014.
From New York Times • Aug. 29, 2014
Correlate was created following Google's success with Flu Trends in 2009, a tool which tracked searches for flu-related searches worldwide.
From BBC • May 31, 2011
Correlate this ranking with standing in the high school classes.
From The Science of Human Nature A Psychology for Beginners by Pyle, William Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
