collaboration

American  

[kuh-lab-uh-rey-shuhn] / kəˌlæb əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of working together or cooperating.

   Chat tools provide opportunity for real-time collaboration and dialogue.

2. a product resulting from working together or cooperating.

   This dictionary is a collaboration of many minds.

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Usage

What does collaboration mean? Collaboration is the act of working together, especially on a goal or shared project.It can also be used to refer to a product of collaboration, as in The new single is a  collaboration from the two pop stars. Collaboration is the noun form of the verb collaborate, meaning to work together.Collaboration is often used in a positive context to refer to two or more parties successfully working together on professional or artistic projects. It often implies not just cooperation but sharing and developing of each other’s ideas.Such a joint effort can be described with the adjective collaborative. People who collaborate are called collaborators.Collaboration can also be used in a much more specific way referring to cooperation as a traitor with enemy forces in one’s own country. This is much less commonly used than its general sense.Example: This project would not have happened without close collaboration between all the departments. 

Other Word Forms

• noncollaboration noun

Etymology

Origin of collaboration

First recorded in 1855–60; from French, from Late Latin collabōrāt ( us ) ( collaborate ) + French -ion -ion

Example Sentences

Germany’s digital ministry says it is testing an open-source alternative to Microsoft workplace and collaboration tools, called openDesk, both on workstations within the ministry and at some German federal agencies.

From The Wall Street Journal

He said Canadians must redouble their efforts to rebuild their economy, and drew on the country’s founding, when the British and French joined to choose “partnership over domination, and collaboration over division.”

From The Wall Street Journal

At times, five of Abbey Road's famed studios were in use, with collaborations springing up on the spur of the moment.

From BBC

When friendships or love affairs or collaborations happen the right way, they’re kind of effortless.

From Los Angeles Times

The collaboration aims to improve how federal agencies operate, boosting productivity and accelerating product development, Leidos’ Chief Technology Officer Ted Tanner said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• association
• collusion
• combination
• concert
• participation
• partnership
• teamwork