coincidence theory
- noun
- /koʊˈɪn.sɪ.dəns ˈθɪə.ri/
- Specialized
:
teoría de la coincidencia
- The professor's research in coincidence theory revealed surprising connections between unrelated data sets.
Examples
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Many believe that coincidence theory helps explain why random patterns are often misinterpreted as meaningful.
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She became interested in coincidence theory after reading about statistical anomalies in nature.
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The concept of coincidence theory fascinates many researchers.
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Many people are unaware of coincidence theories that explain patterns in data.
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The professor's research in coincidence theory revealed surprising connections between unrelated data sets.
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She became interested in coincidence theory after reading about statistical anomalies in nature.
-
Many believe that coincidence theory helps explain why random patterns are often misinterpreted as meaningful.
How Systematic
- Specialized
15
4.2
- Specialized
14
4.4
- Specialized
138
6.1
- Specialized
57
3.2
102
4.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward noun-noun compound: 'coincidence' (a simultaneous or unexpected occurrence) + 'theory' (an explanatory framework), so its meaning — a theory about coincidences or patterns that appear random — is directly derivable from the parts. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English noun-compounding, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Coincidence theory paints the picture of separate dots or lines suddenly lining up; coincidence means 'a chance meeting' and theory means 'an idea that explains'. So, the name helps you remember that the idea looks at when random patterns seem connected and asks whether there is a real reason behind them, not just 'pure luck'.