Collocation

Collocation

Collocation refers to the occurrence of words adjacently more often than would be expected by chance.

Collocation is the relationship between two words or groups of words that often go together and form a common expression. If the expression is heard often, the words become 'glued' together in our minds. 'Crystal clear', 'middle management' 'nuclear family' and 'cosmetic surgery' are examples of collocated pairs of words. Some words are often found together because they make up a compound noun, for example 'riding boots' or 'motor cyclist'.

-- ShawnDay - 05 Mar 2006