correspondence

From Middle English correspondence, from Latin correspondentia.^[1] By surface analysis, correspond +‎ -ence.

• enPR: kŏ"rĭspŏn'dəns
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒɹ.ɪˈspɒn.dəns/, /ˌkɒɹ.əˈspɒn.dəns/
• (General American, dialects of Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌkoɹ.ɪˈspɑn.dəns/, /ˌkoɹ.əˈspɑn.dəns/

  • Audio (California); [ˌkɝ.ɪˈspɑn.dəns]:

    (file)

• (Canada, dialects of the US) IPA^(key): /ˌkoɹ.ɪˈspɒn.dəns/, /ˌkoɹ.əˈspɒn.dəns/
• (New York City) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑ.ɹəˈspɑn.dəns/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌkɔɹ.ɪˈspɔn.dəns/, /ˌkɔɹ.əˈspɔn.dəns/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒɹ.əˈspɒn.dəns/, [ˌkɔ̟ɹ.əˈspɔ̟n.dəns]
• (Indic) IPA^(key): /kaˌresˈpɒnɖans/

correspondence (countable and uncountable, plural correspondences)

1. Mutual communication or discourse:
   1. (uncountable, obsolete) Friendly discussion.
   3. (uncountable) Reciprocal exchange of civilities, especially conversation between persons by means of letters.
   4. (uncountable) Newspaper or news stories.
   5. (countable or uncountable) Postal or other written communications.
      • 1985 April 13, Michael Harmon, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 14:

        I'm doing time in Oklahoma and really would appreciate some correspondence.

2. Congruity or similarity between different things, people, etc:
   1. (countable) An agreement of situations or objects with an expected outcome.
   2. (set theory, countable) A relation.
   3. (theology, Swedenborgianism) A similarity between physical and spiritual things (e.g. light to wisdom, or warmth to love)

• correspondent