corollary
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
A direct or natural consequence or result that follows logically from something already proven or established.
A proposition that follows with little or no proof required from one already proven; a natural extension or practical consequence of a principle, fact, or situation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used to denote a secondary, but important, outcome that is almost inevitable given a primary fact or action. Implies a close, logical connection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British academic and philosophical writing, but the difference is marginal.
Frequency
Low-frequency in both dialects, restricted to formal and technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
corollary of [noun phrase]corollary to [noun phrase]as a corollaryhave as its corollaryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As a corollary of/to...”
- “The corollary being that...”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A logical corollary of the merger was the consolidation of the two marketing departments.
Academic
The corollary to this theorem is that no such set can be recursively enumerable.
Everyday
If you work from home, a natural corollary is saving money on commuting.
Technical
A corollary of the conservation of momentum is that the centre of mass of a closed system cannot accelerate.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The policy does not corollate with our principles.
American English
- The data corollates strongly with the hypothesis.
adverb
British English
- The decision was taken corollarily to the main agreement.
American English
- He argued corollarily that the budget must increase.
adjective
British English
- The corollary effects were underestimated.
American English
- They issued a corollary statement.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- A corollary of more free time is the need for better time management.
- The report stated that a direct corollary of the new law would be increased administrative costs.
- The author posits that artistic freedom is a necessary corollary to a truly democratic society.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COROLLARY' sounds like 'COROLLA' (the car). A corollary FOLLOWS logically, just as a car FOLLOWS the road.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOGIC IS A PATH (a corollary is a point further down the path from a proven premise).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'следствие' in the sense of 'investigation'. The Russian mathematical/logical term 'следствие' is accurate.
- Do not translate as 'результат' without the connotation of logical necessity.
- The word 'королёр' does not exist and is a false friend.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'corollary' for any random effect (must be logical/necessary).
- Misspelling: 'corrolary', 'corrolery'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'corollary from' (use 'of' or 'to').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'corollary' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word used primarily in formal, academic, logical, and technical contexts.
It can, but it will sound very formal. Words like 'result', 'consequence', or 'upshot' are more common in casual speech.
'Corollary' specifically implies a logical, direct, and often natural or inevitable consequence that follows from a statement or fact. 'Consequence' is broader and can include any result, especially negative ones.
Not in standard usage. The verb 'correlate' is phonetically similar but has a different meaning (to have a mutual relationship). The adjective 'corollary' is very rare and non-standard.