covariate

[ koh-vair-ee-it, ‑-eyt ]

noun

, Statistics.

1. a continuous control variable that is observed rather than manipulated but can affect the outcome of an experiment or study:

   You need to adjust for education level and other covariates in interpreting the results.

Word History and Origins

Origin of covariate¹

First recorded in 1965–70; co- + variate