causal

adjective

caus·​al ˈkȯ-zəl 

1

: expressing or indicating cause : causative

a causal clause introduced by since

2

: of, relating to, or constituting a cause

the causal agent of a disease

3

: involving causation or a cause : marked by cause and effect

a causal link

evidence suggests that there is a strong causal relationship between an individual's experiences with his parents and his later capacity to make affectional bonds

—G. A. Miller

4

: arising from a cause

a causal development

causally

ˈkȯ-zə-lē 

adverb

Example Sentences

No causal connection between the events was found.

There is a causal link between poverty and crime.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is a causal relationship between poverty and poor health outcomes, Wellons said. —Vanessa G. Sánchez, Washington Post, 16 June 2022

Tech companies such as Meta, Amazon, and LinkedIn are also developing machine-learning models for causal reasoning. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 May 2023

There are a lot of applications for a system that could do scientific, causal reasoning at scale, that might actually make the world of abundance that Peter Diamandis imagines. —David Marchese David Marchese, New York Times, 1 May 2023

Through a set of signal processing techniques called causal modeling, researchers can produce maps of connections between neurons that compose networks of organoid functional structure. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Apr. 2023

Source is a causal Mediterranean restaurant where the quality of ingredients do the talking and bread is king. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2023

Mobile games are built for a causal audience and target mass-market hardware. —Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 6 Apr. 2023

Historians of the Holocaust tend to reject the notion of fascism as a causal explanation for its origins. —David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2023

Baru is heavily concentrated on its bar, according to a release, and its atmosphere was inspired by izakaya, a Japanese term for a causal place where people can stay, drink and eat, similar to a pub. —Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin causālis, from Latin causa cause entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

causal

adjective

caus·​al ˈkȯ-zəl 

: of, relating to, or being a cause

Legal Definition

causal

adjective

caus·​al ˈkȯ-zəl 

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a cause

causal negligence

2

: involving causation or a cause

no causal relationship between driving without insurance and the accident

—National Law Journal

a causal link exists between the deceptive act and the injury

—National Law Journal

3

: arising from a cause