What does correction mean?
Correction refers to the act of putting right what is wrong — whether an error in a document, a flaw in reasoning, a defect in a process, or a fault in conduct. It carries both a general sense (the improvement or rectification of anything incorrect) and a concrete one (a specific change or note marking where something must be amended, as when an editor returns a manuscript full of corrections). The word appears across many domains: proofreaders make corrections, scientists issue corrections to published papers, financial markets undergo corrections when prices fall sharply after rising too far, and institutions speak of corrective action. Its tone is generally neutral and constructive rather than punitive, though older usage connected it with discipline and punishment, a sense that survives in phrases like 'correctional facility.' Derived from Latin roots meaning to set straight, correction remains one of English's most versatile words for the ongoing human work of getting things right.
The act of correcting; the substitution of what is right for what is wrong.
"The teacher's careful correction of each essay helped students improve."
Often used in the plural for specific amendments, especially in editing contexts.
A change or annotation made to fix an error, especially in text or data.
"She submitted three corrections to the final draft before publication."
Discipline or chastisement intended to improve behavior (formal or archaic).
"In earlier centuries, correction was seen as a moral duty of parents and teachers."
The plural is common in editorial, academic, and institutional contexts. In American English, 'the corrections' can also denote the prison system as a whole.
"All corrections must be submitted by Friday."
Every time you cover a mistake with correction fluid, you're using a product invented by Bette Nesmith Graham — the mother of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of correction
Correction comes from Latin correctio, from corrigere, meaning 'to make straight or right,' formed from com- ('together, thoroughly') and regere ('to rule, guide straight'). The word entered English via Old French in the late Middle Ages, around the fourteenth century, initially carrying senses of both amendment and disciplinary punishment. Cognates sharing the same Latin root include correct, corrective, and correctitude.
Related word forms
How correction is actually used
Neutral to formal register. In publishing and academic contexts, 'corrections' often specifically means amendments to proofs or drafts. The plural 'the corrections' can refer metonymically to the prison system in American English, as in 'the corrections system.'
Easily confused with correction
Correlation means a mutual relationship between two things, whereas correction is the act of fixing an error.