WordGarden.iocorrespondence
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˌɒrɪspˈɒndəns/
US
- /ˌkɔrəˈspɑndəns/
Meanings
Noun
letters, emails, or other written messages exchanged between people
similarity, agreement, or a matching relationship between things
a formal mapping or relationship between elements in a system
Beyond the definition
Correspondence isn't just about letters anymore. While it can mean the act of exchanging mail—think pen pals or official notices—it also describes a connection or relationship between things. A beautiful sunset and a fiery painting might have a correspondence in the way they use color, hinting at a shared quality. Or, you might maintain a regular correspondence with a friend through emails and texts. It's about how things relate to each other, whether through communication or natural similarity. Think of detectives looking for correspondences between clues to solve a mystery—they're searching for connections!
The word "correspondence" has a fascinating duality. Traditionally, it refers to the exchange of letters or messages—a written conversation over time and distance. Imagine Victorian-era families meticulously writing and sending letters across continents, maintaining their correspondence despite the miles between them. This is still a valid meaning today: businesses maintain official correspondence with clients, and historians study historical correspondence to understand past events.
However, "correspondence" also extends beyond just written communication. It can describe a similarity or connection between two things. If there's a correspondence between your ideas and mine, it means we agree or share similar viewpoints. A map and the territory it represents have a correspondence, though they aren't identical. Scientists look for correspondences in data to identify patterns and draw conclusions.
In more formal writing (and in math), a correspondence can also mean a clear matching between two groups of things: each item on one side lines up with an item on the other.
The root of the word comes from the Latin respondere, meaning "to answer." This hints at the core idea: something responding to, or relating to, something else. It's about a link, whether it's forged through communication or discovered through shared characteristics.
So, whether you're talking about a stack of letters, a meeting of minds, or a connection between ideas, "correspondence" speaks to the ways things relate and interact with one another—a subtle but powerful concept woven into both our daily lives and more complex fields of study.
Examples
- 1
Office mail
Please send all correspondence to the head office.
- 2
Ongoing contact
We have been in correspondence since we met at the conference.
- Phrasein correspondence
exchanging letters or emails over a period of time
- 3
Police evidence
The police examined the correspondence between the suspect and his business partner.
- 4
Similarity
There is a close correspondence between the two versions of the report.
- Patterna close correspondence between + things
a strong match or similarity
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Matched pairs
In the chart, each number has a one-to-one correspondence with a letter.
- Phraseone-to-one correspondence
each thing in one group matches exactly one thing in another group
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- conversation
- face-to-face meeting
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- business correspondence
- personal correspondence
- official correspondence
- maintain correspondence
Word family
Explore
- communication
- letter writing
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- correspondencenoun
Forms
- correspondencespluralnoun