In statistics and research, a variable that is related to the main outcome being studied and must be accounted for to understand true effects.
From 'co-' (together) + 'variate' (a variable or quantity in statistics). Developed in 20th-century statistics for experimental design and analysis.
Researchers use covariates to level the playing field—if you're testing whether a diet works, you need to account for how much people exercise, because exercise is a covariate that affects weight loss.
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