correlation Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a reciprocal relation between two or more things
    correlativity.
  2. noun a statistic representing how closely two variables co-vary; it can vary from -1 (perfect negative correlation) through 0 (no correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation)
    coefficient of correlation; correlation coefficient.
    • what is the correlation between those two variables?
  3. noun a statistical relation between two or more variables such that systematic changes in the value of one variable are accompanied by systematic changes in the other
    correlational statistics.

WordNet

Cor`re*la"tion noun
Etymology
LL. correlatio; L. cor- + relatio: cf. F. corrélation. Cf. Correlation.
Definitions
  1. Reciprocal relation; corresponding similarity or parallelism of relation or law; capacity of being converted into, or of giving place to, one another, under certain conditions; as, the correlation of forces, or of zymotic diseases.

Webster 1913