corollary

noun

cor·​ol·​lary ˈkȯr-ə-ˌler-ē 

ˈkär-,

-le-rē,

 British  kə-ˈrä-lə-rē

plural corollaries

1

: a proposition (see proposition entry 1 sense 1c) inferred immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof

2

a

: 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

corollary adjective

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The Origin and Evolution of Corollary

Not ones to rest on our laurels here in the Word of the Day hothouse, today we are pleased to offer some flowery prose on the history of the word corollary—not because it is rhetorically elegant (though it may be) but because its history is related to flowers. Indeed, the seed of corollary was planted initially by the Latin noun corōlla meaning “small wreath of flowers,” which later bloomed into another Latin noun, corōllārium, referring to a garland given as a reward as well as to a gratuity or an unsolicited payment. Just as one tips their server at the conclusion of a meal, you might think of a modern-day corollary as something that naturally follows or accompanies something else in natural course. The formality of corollary is thanks to its formal roots: the word first figured in logical proofs as a term for a proposition that can be inferred immediately from something that's just been proved—the corollary follows logically as a result of the statement before it.

Synonyms

• aftereffect
• aftermath
• backwash
• child
• conclusion
• consequence
• development
• effect
• fate
• fruit
• issue
• outcome
• outgrowth
• precipitate
• product
• result
• resultant
• sequel
• sequence
• upshot

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

One person with knowledge of the brewing deal brought up the David Blitzer situation as a possible corollary. —Jon Greenberg, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025

But the corollary of having so much variety is that even a seasoned skier can be paralyzed by choice. —Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2025

These aesthetic flourishes find an auditory corollary in Kenneth Blume’s swelling, spectral score, which toggles between sinister and ecstatic. —Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025

At first, these questions seemed almost like a stunt; the closest corollary that came to mind was Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G, asking ridiculous questions with a straight face and making comedy out of the interviewee’s struggle to answer. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for corollary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

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Kids Definition

corollary

noun

cor·​ol·​lary ˈkȯr-ə-ˌler-ē 

ˈkär-

plural corollaries

1

: something that follows directly from something that has been proved

2

: something that naturally follows : result