causal

American  

[kaw-zuhl] / ˈkɔ zəl /

adjective

1. of, constituting, or implying a cause.

2. Grammar. expressing a cause, as the conjunctions because and since.

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causal British  

/ ˈkɔːzəl /

adjective

1. acting as or being a cause

2. stating, involving, or implying a cause

   the causal part of the argument

3. philosophy (of a theory) explaining a phenomenon or analysing a concept in terms of some causal relation

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Other Word Forms

• causally
  adverb
• noncausal
  adjective
• noncausally
  adverb
• supercausal
  adjective
• uncausal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of causal

1520–30; < Latin causālis, equivalent to caus ( a ) cause + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

Have you ever heard the saying "One thing leads to another"? When one thing is known for certain to cause another thing, then the first thing can be called causal. Causal is a variation of the word cause, which should be a clue to its meaning. A cause is what makes something happen: the notebook flew across the room because you threw it, so your throwing it was causal. If a bolt of lightning set a statue on fire, the lightning was causal for the fire. Sometimes, we don't know what caused something, so we don't know what was causal. But if you can figure out "Who did it?" or "What did it?," then you've found what's causal.

Example Sentences

In contrast, economist Christine Mulhern’s 2023 paper finds that individual high-school counselors have causal effects on educational attainment comparable in magnitude to teachers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

His claims are not backed by evidence, as research has not found a clear causal link between antidepressants and violence, for example.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

We must confront the causal factors of antisemitism honestly and address antisemitism where it is most common and most virulent.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

"Our work provides cell type-specific maps of gene regulation in the Alzheimer's brain, shifting the field from observing correlations to uncovering the causal mechanisms that actively drive disease progression."

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

But a skilled practitioner can use it to tell how meaningful a correlation is—and maybe even tell whether that correlation does indicate a causal relationship.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

• creative
• imaginative
• innovative
• inventive
• seminal
• unconventional
• unusual