corollary

noun
cor·​ol·​lary | \ ˈkȯr-ə-ˌler-ē How to pronounce corollary (audio) , ˈkär-, -le-rē, British kə-ˈrä-lə-rē \
plural corollaries

Definition of corollary

1 : a proposition (see proposition entry 1 sense 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 Treat
b : 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

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Other Words from corollary

corollary adjective

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.

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 on the Web This relationship between horse and rider is a corollary for the relationship between John Henry and the train, a mechanical achievement that would bring with it the promises of cross country travel, commerce and economic prosperity. Akilah Johnson, ProPublica, "How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men," 22 Dec. 2020 There is a corollary to Petraeus's adage that is relevant not to war but to peace agreements: The allies get a vote, too. Eli Lake Bloomberg Opinion (tns), Star Tribune, "On the Iran deal, Israel gets a vote," 2 Dec. 2020 The corollary of paying more, however, was deciding more, this official noted. Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, "Joe Biden Won’t Fix America’s Relationship With the World," 8 Nov. 2020 This clan, too, comes with a formidable matriarch in Blanche (Lesley Manville, bringing dramatic flare to an otherwise restrained film), a much more violent and sinister corollary to Margret. Jake Coyle, Detroit Free Press, "Kevin Costner, Diane Lane perfectly paired in ‘Let Him Go’," 6 Nov. 2020 Their clan, too, comes with a formidable matriarch in Blanche (Lesley Manville, bringing dramatic flare to an otherwise restrained film), a much more violent and sinister corollary to Margret. Jake Coyle, Star Tribune, "Review: Diane Lane and Kevin Costner in 'Let Him Go'," 4 Nov. 2020 The corollary of both strategies and demands, however, is the sharing of power alongside the financial burden. Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, "Donald Trump’s Great Reveal," 20 Oct. 2020 Cold War history also illustrates a corollary: A failure of resolve can invite catastrophe. Paul Wolfowitz, WSJ, "The Korean War’s Lesson for Taiwan," 13 Oct. 2020 But an important corollary to that is spending by small businesses trying to get in front of those digital customers. Telis Demos, WSJ, "Amex Can Still Profit When Customers Are Less Venturesome," 23 Oct. 2020

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.

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First Known Use of corollary

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for corollary

Middle English correlary, corolarie, borrowed from Late Latin corōllārium, going back to Latin, "garland (given as a reward), unsolicited payment, gratuity," from corōlla "small wreath of flowers" + -ārium -ary entry 1 — more at corolla

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Learn More about corollary

Time Traveler for corollary

Time Traveler

The first known use of corollary was in the 14th century

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Statistics for corollary

Last Updated

28 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Corollary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corollary. Accessed 7 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for corollary

corollary

noun
How to pronounce corollary (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of corollary

formal : something that naturally follows or results from another thing

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Comments on corollary

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