anticorrelation

noun

an·​ti·​cor·​re·​la·​tion ¦an-ˌtī-ˌkȯr-ə-¦lā-shən 

-ˌkär-,

¦an-tē-

plural anticorrelations

: an inverse correlation

In 1801, the Astronomer Royal, William Herschel, effectively launched the field of solar variability influences on weather by noticing an anticorrelation between the price of wheat and the number of visible sunspots.

—K. S. Carslaw et al., Science, 29 Nov. 2002

anticorrelate

¦an-ˌtī-¦kȯr-ə-ˌlāt 

-¦kär-

¦an-tē-

verb, transitive + intransitive

anticorrelated; anticorrelating; anticorrelates

Many-sided cells are expected to be larger than fewer-sided cells, both based on experimental observation and based on statistical inference. … By anticorrelating the many-sided and the few-sided cells, the tissue reduces the frequency at which multiple large cells are crowded together, or at which multiple small cells are stretched to remain neighbors.

—William T. Gibson and Matthew C. Gibson, in Tissue Remodeling and Epithelial Morphogenesis, 2009

… we note the pronounced tendency of observed remote tropical precipitation anomalies to anticorrelate with the equatorial Pacific anomalies.

—Benjamin R Lintner and John C H Chiang, Journal of Dairy Science, 15 Dec. 2005

Word History

Etymology

anti- entry 1 + correlation

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!