3 syllables: cor, rel, ates. Stress on cor.
/ˈkɔɹəleɪts/
Say it backCorrelates is a verb (third-person singular present) or noun plural form meaning things that are associated or related. In usage, it can describe how two variables relate or correspond to one another, or refer to items that have a related relationship. The term is common in academic writing and data analysis contexts.
"Researchers correlates?—No, in formal writing you would say 'corresponds' or 'are correlated.'"
"The data correlates with the observed outcomes in several key variables."
"A robust model identifies correlates of success, such as duration of study and test performance."
Pronounce as /kəˈrɛl.eɪts/ (US) with two syllables in the verb form when you place stress on the second syllable: /kəˈrɛl.əts/ is common in careful speech; many speakers reduce the second syllable to a schwa echo, yielding /kəˈrɛl.əts/ or /ˈkɔːr.ə.leɪts/ in careful enunciation. The key is strong primary stress on the second syllable, and a clear /l/ sound followed by the /eɪ/ diphthong before the final /ts/. In formal academic speech, you’ll likely hear: kə-RÈ-lays or kə-RÉ-lates depending on region.
Common errors include misplacing the stress, treating it as ko-REL-ates with incorrect stress on the first syllable, and replacing the /r/ or the /l/ with a softer articulation. Another frequent issue is pronouncing the final /ts/ as /s/ or /t/ only. Correct it by stressing the second syllable with a clear /l/ before the /eɪ/ vowel and finishing with a crisp /ts/ cluster: /kəˈrɛl.eɪts/ or /kəˈrɛl.əts/ in rapid speech.
In US English, you’ll hear /kəˈrɛl.eɪts/ with a rhotic /r/ and a clear /eɪ/ before /ts/. UK speakers often reduce the second syllable more, yielding /kəˈrɛl.ɛts/ or /kəˈrɛl.əts/, sometimes with less prominent diphthongization. Australian English tends toward a slightly broader /eɪ/ and a non-rhotic treatment in some speakers, more like /kəˈrɛl.əts/ or /kəˈrɛmˌɔːts/ depending on the speaker. Cross-accent awareness helps you choose the more general /kəˈrɛl.eɪts/ in international contexts.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm, the /ˈrɛ/ vs. /ˈre/ vowel in the stressed syllable, and the final cluster /eɪts/ or /əts/. The transition from the stressed syllable’s /l/ into the gliding /eɪ/ can be tricky, and many non-native speakers have trouble with the /r/ and the final /ts/ cluster, which often becomes a simpler /s/ or /t/ in casual speech. Focus on holding the /l/ as you move into the /eɪ/ glide, then release with a sharp /ts/.
A unique point is the linking potential: in careful speech or rapid academic prose, you might hear a slight y- or w- linking between syllables: cor-rel-ates can feel like /kəˈrɛl.jeɪts/ in fast speech when the preceding word ends with a consonant that invites a smooth transition to /r/. While not mandatory, awareness of this subtle cohesion can help naturalness in connected speech.
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Correlates derives from the verb correlate, which comes from late 18th-century French and Latin roots. The Latin root correlatus is the past participle of correlare, from com- (together) and restare (to be in position, to stand). The sense evolved from “to place in relation” to “to have a mutual relation with” and ultimately to describe statistical relationships between variables. The noun form correlates has usage in data analysis, psychology, and social sciences to denote variables or factors that show a relationship with another variable. In English, correlate entered scientific discourse as a verb in the 19th century and gained broader use in statistics and research reporting in the 20th century, expanding to noun usage in some contexts as a plural form referring to related factors or variables. First known uses appear in mathematical and statistical texts as researchers described how certain measurements correlate with outcomes, later generalizing to everyday academic writing.
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Words that rhyme with "correlates"
-tes sounds
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