corporation

American  

[kawr-puh-rey-shuhn] / ˌkɔr pəˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an association of individuals, created by law or under authority of law, having a continuous existence independent of the existences of its members, and powers and liabilities distinct from those of its members.

2. Corporation, the group of principal officials of a borough or other municipal division in England.

3. any group of persons united or regarded as united in one body.

4. Informal. a paunch; potbelly.

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corporation British  

/ ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. a group of people authorized by law to act as a legal personality and having its own powers, duties, and liabilities

2. Also called: municipal corporation.  the municipal authorities of a city or town

3. a group of people acting as one body

4. See public corporation

5. informal a large paunch or belly

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corporation Cultural  

1. A business organization owned by a group of stockholders, each of whom enjoys limited liability (that is, each can be held responsible for losses only up to the limit of his or her investment). A corporation has the ability to raise capital by selling stock to the public.

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Grammar

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

• corporational
  adjective
• multicorporation
  noun
• noncorporation
  noun
• subcorporation
  noun
• supercorporation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of corporation

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin corporātiōn- (stem of corporātiō ) “guild,” Latin: “physical makeup, build”; see corporate, -ion

Explanation

Most of us think of corporations as companies — Amazon is one, Kellogg another, Disney a third. In reality, a corporation has a very particular legal meaning: it's a company that registers with a state government such that it has the same rights and responsibilities as a person. Know the word corpse? It means a dead body, and comes from the Latin corpus, "body." One way to remember corporation is that it turns a company into a body — a body that is considered a person in many respects in the eyes of the law. Corporations must pay taxes and follow laws. Because it is a separate entity, when a corporation fails, its employees and managers are not responsible for its debts.

Example Sentences

As the Mamdani era nears its sixth month, City Hall’s search for a chief executive to run the Economic Development Corporation is moving at a crawl.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

The area covered by the order includes Majuba beach from South Gare to Marske-By-the-Sea, Coatham to Corporation Road, Redcar town centre from the beach to Lord Street, the stray and Locke Park.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

All of them used docks that were built early in the 20th century by the Havana Docks Corporation, an American company.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Regarding conflicts of interest, Dr. Peterson is the President of Evolve Psychiatry Professional Corporation and an advisor to Evolve Adolescent Behavioral Health, where he receives stock options and provides expert testimony.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

It is known that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation wanted to interview Bobby for a documentary: He demanded $5,000 just to discuss it over the phone, with no promises of anything else.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• business
• company
• enterprise