1 cor·rect
Pronounced:
/kəˈrɛkt/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
1 : true or accurate : agreeing with facts : right ▪ What's the correct answer/response to this question? ▪ She is correct (in saying) that more money is needed. ▪ Yes, that's correct. ▪ Her watch never tells the correct time. ▪ an anatomically correct drawing of the human body
2 : having no errors or mistakes ▪ a grammatically correct sentence ▪ correct pronunciation/punctuation/spelling/usage
3 : proper or appropriate in a particular situation ▪ Did I give you the correct change? ▪ With the correct amount of water and sunlight, the plant will grow well. ▪ We're trying to find the correct [=right] way to deal with the problem. ▪ He was correct to do what he did. = He did the correct thing.
4 [more cor*rect; most cor*rect] sometimes disapproving : considered proper by people with a strict set of beliefs or values ▪ We need to find a more environmentally correct way of disposing these materials. [=a way that does not damage the environment] —see also politically correct
5 [more cor*rect; most cor*rect] somewhat old-fashioned : careful about behaving in a polite and socially accepted way ▪ a very correct young man
2 : having no errors or mistakes ▪ a grammatically correct sentence ▪ correct pronunciation/punctuation/spelling/usage
3 : proper or appropriate in a particular situation ▪ Did I give you the correct change? ▪ With the correct amount of water and sunlight, the plant will grow well. ▪ We're trying to find the correct [=right] way to deal with the problem. ▪ He was correct to do what he did. = He did the correct thing.
4 [more cor*rect; most cor*rect] sometimes disapproving : considered proper by people with a strict set of beliefs or values ▪ We need to find a more environmentally correct way of disposing these materials. [=a way that does not damage the environment] —see also politically correct
5 [more cor*rect; most cor*rect] somewhat old-fashioned : careful about behaving in a polite and socially accepted way ▪ a very correct young man
—cor·rect·ly adverb ▪ You answered correctly. ▪ If I remember correctly, he was a good baseball player in high school. ▪ Did I spell your name correctly?
—cor·rect·ness noun [noncount] ▪ anatomical correctness ▪ We question the correctness of his actions.