causation

American  

[kaw-zey-shuhn] / kɔˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the action of causing or producing.

2. the relation of cause to effect; causality.

3. anything that produces an effect; cause.

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causation British  

/ kɔːˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or fact of causing; the production of an effect by a cause

2. the relationship of cause and effect

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Other Word Forms

• causational adjective
• noncausation noun

Etymology

Origin of causation

1640–50; < Medieval Latin causātiōn- (stem of causātiō ), equivalent to causāt ( us ) (past participle of causāre to cause) ( Latin caus ( a ) cause + -ātus -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

With social media, it may be difficult to prove causation for an individual, but once we consider population-level research, the link is undeniable, as it was with tobacco.

From The Wall Street Journal

I was careful not to formally assert the level of causation.

From Los Angeles Times

He explained that language emphasizing causation over correlation and other results biases is a problem in scientific research at-large, but in his opinion, this is an egregious example.

From Salon

Such confounding and mediating factors undermine the plaintiffs’ claims of causation.

From The Wall Street Journal

And while correlation does not mean causation, that is when this age-related break occurs.

From BBC

Related Words

• element
• explanation
• matter
• motivation
• motive
• origin
• principle
• purpose
• root
• source