Pearson's correlation coefficient

British  

noun

1. In full: Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient.  a statistic measuring the linear relationship between two variables in a sample and used as an estimate of the correlation in the whole population, given by r = Cov ( X, Y ) /√ [( Var ( X ) .Var ( Y )]

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Etymology

Origin of Pearson's correlation coefficient

named after Karl Pearson (1857–1936), British mathematician

Example Sentences

According to Kim, people often think first of Pearson's correlation coefficient when they hear the word agreement, since it is introduced early in statistics education and remains a fundamental tool.

From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2025