correlative
Americanadjective
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so related that each implies or complements the other.
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being in correlation; mutually related.
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Grammar. answering to or complementing one another and regularly used in association, as either and or, not only and but.
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Biology. (of a typical structure of an organism) found in correlation with another.
noun
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either of two things, as two terms, that are correlative.
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Grammar. a correlative expression.
adjective
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in mutual, complementary, or reciprocal relationship; corresponding
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denoting words, usually conjunctions, occurring together though not adjacently in certain grammatical constructions, as for example neither and nor in such sentences as he neither ate nor drank
noun
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either of two things that are correlative
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a correlative word
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of correlative
From the Medieval Latin word correlātīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See cor-, relative
Vocabulary lists containing correlative
Lesson 2
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Lesson 1
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Part 2 Literary Terms (Unit 1)
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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.
Correlative adjectives often, though not always, announce themselves through commas, and they are good at modifying nouns without talking much to each other, like exes at a mutual friend’s wedding.
From Slate • Aug. 6, 2014
Correlative with this is O'Shaughnessy's identification of the category of subintentional action.
From The Guardian • Jul. 14, 2010
Correlative with the obligation of rest is that of purely positive worship, and here is the difficulty of deciding just what is the correct thing in religious worship.
From Explanation of Catholic Morals A Concise, Reasoned, and Popular Exposition of Catholic Morals by Stapleton, John H. (John Henry)
Correlative Conjunctions.—The correlative conjunctions, either ... or, neither ... nor, whether ... or, and not only ... but also, are also particularly liable to trip a writer.
From News Writing The Gathering , Handling and Writing of News Stories by Spencer, M. Lyle (Matthew Lyle)
Dr. Webster, among his explanations of the word other, has the following: "Correlative to each, and applicable to any number of individuals."
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Brown, Goold
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.
