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

Examples of causal in a Sentence

No causal connection between the events was found.

There is a causal link between poverty and crime.

Recent Examples on the Web

Funded by the National Science Foundation, our multidisciplinary team blended our expertise in causal inference, sustainability and cybersecurity, to work on the tangled question of what people do with their consumer electronics when they’re done using them. — Eric Williams, Fortune, 21 June 2026

Stakeholders, decisions, outcomes, timelines, risks and causal relationships could be encoded in structured formats that AI systems understand immediately. — Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026

Funded by the National Science Foundation, our multidisciplinary team blended our expertise in causal inference, sustainability and cybersecurity, to work on the tangled question of what people do with their consumer electronics when they’re done using them. — Eric Williams, The Conversation, 18 June 2026

Because the researchers induced boredom before measuring creativity, the findings suggest a causal effect rather than a simple association. — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

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

Rhymes for causal

• clausal
• nozzle
• menopausal
• postmenopausal
• premenopausal

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