Definition of corollary
corollaries
1 : a proposition (see 1proposition 1c) inferred immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof
2a : something that naturally follows : result … love was a stormy passion and jealousy its normal corollary. — Ida Treatb : something that incidentally or naturally accompanies or parallels A corollary to the problem of the number of vessels to be built was that of the types of vessels to be constructed. — Daniel Marx
corollary
adjectiveIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of corollary in a Sentence
one corollary of the rise of television was a massive makeover of radio's programming
increased taxes—or expanding deficits—are the inevitable corollary to any new government spending program
Recent Examples of corollary from the Web
-
The corollary to this office crunch is an affordable-housing crisis.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'corollary'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Origin and Evolution of Corollary
Corollary comes from the Late Latin noun corollarium, which can be translated as "a garland given as a reward." "Corollarium" comes from the Latin corolla, meaning "small crown or garland." If you know that a garland or small crown was sometimes given to actors in addition to their pay, it makes sense that another sense of "corollarium" is "gratuity." Later, "corollarium" developed the philosophical sense of a supplementary proposition that follows directly from one that has been proved. (You can think of a corollary as a "bonus" that follows from the proof of something else.) The broader modern sense, "something that naturally follows," evolved from the philosophical one.
Origin and Etymology of corollary
Middle English corolarie, from Late Latin corollarium, from Latin, money paid for a garland, gratuity, from corolla —see corolla
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Logic Terms
COROLLARY Defined for English Language Learners
corollary
playDefinition of corollary for English Language Learners
-
: something that naturally follows or results from another thing
Learn More about corollary
-
See words that rhyme with corollary Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for corollary Spanish Central: Translation of corollary Nglish: Translation of corollary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of corollary for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up corollary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!