correspondent

correspondent — adjective

1. describing a direct connection between two things, so that a change in one cause

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a direct connection between two things, so that a change in one causes a matching change in the other.

Example

The number of teachers hired was correspondent with the growth in student enrollment.

correspondent with + noun (matching relationship)

Each chapter in the manual ends with a correspondent set of practice questions.

correspondent + noun (attributive use)

Common collocations
  • correspondent with
  • correspondent effect
  • correspondent impact
  • correspondent set of
  • directly correspondent
Synonyms
  • corresponding

    more common synonym; 'corresponding' is used much more often than 'correspondent' in everyday English

  • matching

    less formal; used in everyday conversation

  • equivalent

    emphasizes equal value or degree rather than a proportional relationship

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be correspondent with [something]

correspondent + noun (attributive)

Usage Note

Frequently used in formal or academic contexts to describe proportional or causal relationships. Often found in the patterns 'be correspondent with' and 'have a correspondent effect/impact on'.

Common Mistakes

The two documents are correspondent each other.
The two documents are correspondent with each other.
'correspondent with' needs the preposition, not a direct object.
His story is correspondent to what she said.
His story corresponds to what she said.
For everyday speech, the verb 'correspond' is more natural than the adjective 'correspondent'.

2. matching an expected standard, rule, or accepted pattern; being appropriate for

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

matching an expected standard, rule, or accepted pattern; being appropriate for a particular situation.

Example

The committee decided that the proposed changes were not correspondent with the organization's values.

not correspondent with + values (negative form showing mismatch)

The dress code required attire that was correspondent to the formal nature of the ceremony.

correspondent to + noun (fitting the situation)

Common collocations
  • correspondent with
  • correspondent to
  • not correspondent
  • correspondent with values/policies/guidelines
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be correspondent with [standard/expectation]

not correspondent with [something]

Usage Note

This sense is rare in modern English. The verb 'conform to' or the adjective 'consistent with' is much more common. Found primarily in legal, formal, or academic writing.

Common Mistakes

The gift was correspondent to his taste.
The gift was suited to his taste.
'Correspondent' is too formal for expressing personal preference; use 'suited' or 'appropriate' instead.

correspondent — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'correspondent' is a journalist who reports from a specific place or on a particular subject — for example, a Middle East correspondent or a sports correspondent. A 'reporter' is a more general term for anyone who gathers and presents news, often covering daily breaking stories rather than specializing. A 'journalist' is the broadest term, covering anyone who writes for or contributes to news media — including editors, columnists, and producers who may never appear on camera. A 'news anchor' reads the news in a broadcast studio and does not typically travel to report from the field. A 'foreign editor' manages the overseas reporting team from the office rather than filing reports from abroad. In everyday use, calling someone a 'correspondent' suggests they have deep knowledge of a specific beat or region, while 'reporter' focuses on the act of gathering news on the ground.

reporter ↗journalist ↗news anchorforeign editor

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • chief correspondent
  • staff correspondent
  • special correspondent

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'correspondent' comes from Latin 'correspondentem', the present participle of 'correspondēre', meaning 'to correspond'. This Latin verb is formed from 'com-' (together) and 'respondēre' (to respond). It entered English in the late 1400s first as an adjective meaning 'matching or agreeing', and later, in the 1600s, came to be used as a noun for someone who communicates by letter with another person. The journalistic sense — a person who reports news from a particular place — developed in the early 1800s as newspapers began hiring writers stationed in different cities and countries.