Corresponding

Corresponding is the present participle of the verb correspond and an adjective used to indicate that two or more things match in position, relation, or function, or that one thing relates to another as a counterpart. It also appears in phrases such as corresponding author, where one author serves as the primary contact for a manuscript. The word comes from Latin correspondere, meaning to be together with or to answer.

In mathematics, science, and linguistics, corresponding elements are those that match under a defined relation. For example, corresponding angles are located in corresponding positions when a transversal intersects parallel lines, and corresponding parts of similar figures are in proportion. In set theory and mappings, a correspondence or function pairs elements of one set with elements of another; a bijection provides a one-to-one correspondence.

In academic publishing, the corresponding author is the person responsible for communication with the journal and with readers about the work, often including submission, revisions, and post-publication inquiries. The role is an administrative one and does not by itself indicate the magnitude of contribution.

As a verb, to correspond means to exchange letters or messages or to be consistent or analogous with something. "They corresponded for years" describes ongoing communication, while "these data correspond to the measurements" indicates a relation or match.