collocation

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'collocation' is correct and is commonly used in both spoken and written English.
It is often used in academic contexts, to refer to words or phrases that are often seen together. For example, "The collocation of 'fast food' and 'cheap price' is often seen in marketing campaigns."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Novelists are seriously hampered in their endeavours to show, in a traditional spirit of artistic honesty, corruption in public life; they have to tread carefully even in depicting purely imaginary characters and situations, since the chance collocation of a name, a profession, and a locality may produce a libellous situation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As the century progressed, signs of a tendency toward Realism were discernible in Józef Korzeniowski's novels Spekulant (1846; "The Speculator") and Kollokacja (1847; "The Collocation").

Encyclopedia Britannica

The primary compounds cloverleaf, gentleman, and (less obviously, because of the spelling) already show the collocation of two free forms.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Such was the success of this tiny and painstaking collocation that many people are still stuck with the idea of Hamilton as the man who single-handedly laid down the terms within which Pop Art was to operate," the critic John Russell wrote in the catalog for a 1973 Hamilton retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The New York Times - Arts

Though the appearance of the phrase World Wide Web 20 years ago was surely a crucial linguistic milestone, Berners-Lee wasn't the first to hit upon that happy collocation.

The New York Times - Magazine

Writing in his column in The New York World, the architecture critic Montgomery Schuyler called the Tribune Building "a glaring collocation of red and white and black, which time can never mellow".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

15 human-written examples

In so doing, he used lines with an odd number of syllables (vers impair), ambiguous syntax, and unusual collocations of abstract and concrete concepts in a way that radically advanced the technical range of French verse.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Chunks may consist of fixed idioms or conventional speech routines, but they can also simply be combinations of words that appear together frequently, in patterns that are known as "collocations".

The New York Times - Magazine

For the hair-related collocations, Hargraves concludes that "fictional characters cannot stop playing with their hair".

The New York Times - Books

For David Bamman, a senior researcher in computational linguistics with Tufts University's Perseus Project, analyzing collocations can help unwrap the way a writer "indexes" a literary style by lifting phrases from the past.

The New York Times - Books

Masahiro Hori, a professor of English linguistics at Kumamoto Gakuen University in Japan, has studied how Charles Dickens breathed new life into literary collocations.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When analyzing text, identify and examine common "collocations" to understand underlying patterns and meanings. Use "collocations" to enhance naturalness and fluency.

Common error

Avoid assuming that all frequently occurring word pairs are meaningful "collocations". Ensure that the co-occurrence is statistically significant and not simply due to chance or common usage.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "collocation" is as a noun. It refers to the grouping or juxtaposition of things, especially words or sounds. Ludwig AI affirms that this word is correct and often seen in academic contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

4%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "collocation" functions primarily as a noun, describing the arrangement or co-occurrence of items, particularly words. Ludwig AI confirms its common use, especially in academic settings. The term appears frequently in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedia sources, reflecting a neutral to formal register. Common related phrases include "juxtaposition" and "co-occurrence". When using "collocation", ensure you're referring to statistically significant co-occurrences, not just random word pairings. Pay attention to the context to understand and utilize it effectively in various forms of text.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

co-occurrence

Specifically refers to the simultaneous occurrence of two or more things.

word combination

Specifically refers to the act of combining words together.

juxtaposition

Focuses on the act of placing things side by side, emphasizing the spatial relationship.

association

Highlights the mental connection or link between two or more things.

combination

Emphasizes the act of joining or merging different elements into a single unit.

arrangement

Focuses on the way in which things are organized or positioned.

linguistic pattern

Highlights the recurring arrangement of linguistic elements.

grouping

Highlights the act of forming a collection or cluster of items.

phrase structure

Highlights the syntax relationships between words and phrases.

alignment

Implies a specific order or position relative to each other.

FAQs

How is "collocation" used in linguistics?

In linguistics, "collocation" refers to a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. It's important for understanding natural language use and idiomatic expressions.

What's the difference between "collocation" and idiom?

While both involve word combinations, a "collocation" is a more general term for words that frequently appear together, while an idiom is a fixed expression with a meaning that cannot be deduced from the individual words.

How can I improve my understanding of English "collocations"?

Read widely, pay attention to how native speakers use words together, and consult a dictionary of "collocations". Practice using common "collocations" in your own writing and speaking.

What are some examples of common English "collocations"?

Examples include "make a decision", "take a picture", "heavy rain", and "strong coffee". These word pairings are frequently used together in English.