corporate
Americanadjective
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of, for, or belonging to a corporation or corporations: She considers the new federal subsidy just corporate welfare.
a corporate executive;
She considers the new federal subsidy just corporate welfare.
-
forming a corporation.
-
pertaining to a united group, as of persons.
the corporate good.
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united or combined into one.
noun
adjective
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forming a corporation; incorporated
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of or belonging to a corporation or corporations
corporate finance
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of or belonging to a united group; joint
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of corporate
First recorded in 1350–1400 for verb senses; 1505–15 for adjective senses; Middle English corporaten, from Latin corporātus, past participle of corporāre “to incorporate”; see incorporate 1
Explanation
Corporate means having to do with a corporation. Playing golf can be a part of corporate culture. A corporate jet is one owned by the company and used for company business. When people refer to corporate as a noun, as in "I have to ask corporate," it's actually just a shortening of "corporate headquarters." People tend to be on their best behavior at work, where money and advancement are on the line. Therefore, corporate behavior is often associated with being eager to please those in authority.
Vocabulary lists containing corporate
Body Language: Corp ("Body")
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Class Act
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The Skin I'm In
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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.
Everyone from corporate attorneys to therapists have taken Proctor’s classes, and the workshops sell out quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Polling shows voters are “connecting the dots between cost increases, corporate greed and weather disasters,” said Shannon Olivieri Hovis, chief strategy officer at the nonprofit California Environmental Voters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
The PM is pledging to "take pressure off" businesses in an effort to calm corporate "jitters" ahead of the Budget, according to the Financial Times.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
But now, according to Guardian analysis, the corporate presence has been waning.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
After all I’d done to lever myself out of corporate law and into more meaningful community-minded work, I knew I’d be happiest if I could engage actively and work toward achieving measurable results.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
