Definition of COROLLARY (original) (raw)
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
Did you know?
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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 That development begets compromises is no surprise; the question is how negative corollaries can be mitigated. —By Charlie Campbell/gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025 And its corollary: When does the correctness of one’s position justify gagging etiquette and locking her in the closet? —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for corollary 
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of corollary was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near corollary
Cite this Entry
“Corollary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corollary. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 5 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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