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correct

adj. · v. · interj.
US //kɝˈɛkt// UK //kəɹˈɛkt// cor·rect
  1. 1 accurate or true (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    having no mistakes; being right or true.

    free from error; conforming to fact or truth.

    Example

    Please check your work to make sure all the answers are correct.

    Example

    The witness provided a correct account of the events, which helped the police identify the suspect quickly.
  2. 2 socially acceptable (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    following the rules of good manners or what is expected in a situation.

    conforming to accepted social standards or professional etiquette.

    Example

    It is considered correct to send a thank-you note after a job interview.

    Example

    While his tone was perfectly correct, there was a subtle coldness in his voice that made the guests feel unwelcome.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is often used in professional or high-society contexts regarding 'correct behavior' or 'correct attire'.
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  1. 3 to fix a mistake (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to change something so that it is right instead of wrong.

    to rectify an error or inaccuracy in a text, calculation, or action.

    Example

    The teacher used a red pen to correct the spelling mistakes in my essay.

    Example

    The software automatically corrects common typographical errors as you type, saving significant time during the editing process.

    Usage

    This is a transitive verb and requires a direct object.
  2. 4 to grade work (v.)
    B1 Intermediate British English

    to look at a student's work and mark what is right or wrong.

    to assess and mark errors in an examination or assignment.

    Example

    It took the professor all weekend to correct the final exam papers.

    Example

    After correcting the mid-term scripts, the tutor realized that most of the class had misunderstood the third question.

    Teacher's tip

    In American English, 'grade' or 'mark' is much more common for this specific activity.
  3. 5 to tell someone they are wrong (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to tell someone that what they just said or did was a mistake.

    to inform a person that they have made an error, often by providing the right information.

    Example

    I am sorry to correct you, but the meeting is actually at three o'clock.

    Example

    She felt the need to correct her colleague during the presentation when he cited the wrong quarterly figures.

    Teacher's tip

    Note that correcting someone can sometimes be seen as rude depending on the social context.
    • set straight
  4. 6 yes / that is right (interj.)
    A2 Elementary

    a word you say to show that someone else is right.

    used as an affirmative response to confirm the accuracy of a statement.

    Example

    'So the total is fifty dollars?' 'Correct.'

    Example

    'You are suggesting that the project be delayed by two weeks?' 'Correct; we cannot proceed without the final safety report.'

    Teacher's tip

    This can sound quite formal or clinical; in casual speech, people often just say 'right' or 'yeah'.
Etymology 1

Borrowed from French correct, from Latin correctus (“improved, amended, correct”), past participle of corrigere, conrigere (“to make straight, make right, make better, improve, correct”), from con- (“together”) + combining form of regō, regere (“I rule, make straight”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English correcten, borrowed from Anglo-Norman correcter, from Latin correctus.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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