consortium
Americannoun
plural
consortia-
a combination of financial institutions, capitalists, etc., for carrying into effect some financial operation requiring large resources of capital.
-
any association, partnership, or union.
-
Law. the legal right of partners in a marriage to companionship and conjugal intercourse with each other.
In a wrongful death action the surviving spouse commonly seeks damages for loss of consortium.
noun
-
an association of financiers, companies, etc, esp one formed for a particular purpose
-
law the right of husband or wife to the company, assistance, and affection of the other
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of consortium
1820–30; < Latin: partnership, equivalent to consort- consort + -ium -ium
Explanation
Consortium is a fancy word for a group you form for an enterprise beyond what any one member could do alone. All the grocery stores in your neighborhood might form a consortium for the promotion of local strawberries. Consortium comes from the verb consort, which means "to accompany or associate." Consortium used to mean "fellowship, participation, society," but these days you're more likely to hear consortium for an association of different institutions like schools or companies than, say, a consortium of philosophical frog lovers. Still, consortiums usually preserve the ideals of fellowship, with every member institution chipping in to reach a common goal.
Vocabulary lists containing consortium
The Boys in the Boat
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 25
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Gene
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, described the talks as "constructive".
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
The Scottish Retail Consortium has estimated that medium and larger shops in Scotland will pay £54m more in business rates than their counterparts in England in this financial year.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
"The big problem in the United States is uncertainty," said the head of the Parmesan Reggiano Consortium, Nicola Bertinelli.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
The study was funded by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation/Tau Consortium, the National Institutes of Health and other sources.
From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026
The opening of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity.
From The 2006 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
