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coalition
[ koh-uh-lish-uhn ]
/ ˌkoʊ əˈlɪʃ ən /
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noun
a combination or alliance, especially a temporary one between persons, factions, states, etc.
a union into one body or mass; fusion.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of coalition
OTHER WORDS FROM coalition
co·a·li·tion·al, adjectiveco·a·li·tion·er, nounWords nearby coalition
coal heaver, coal hod, coal hole, coalification, coaling station, coalition, coalitionism, coal measures, coal mine, coal miner's lung, coal oil
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use coalition in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for coalition
coalition
/ (ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃən) /
noun
- an alliance or union between groups, factions, or parties, esp for some temporary and specific reason
- (as modifier)a coalition government
a fusion or merging into one body or mass
Derived forms of coalition
coalitional, adjectivecoalitionist or coalitioner, nounWord Origin for coalition
C17: from Medieval Latin coalitiō, from Latin coalēscere to coalesce
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for coalition
coalition
An alliance of political groups formed to oppose a common foe or pursue a common goal.
notes for coalition
In countries with many political parties, none of which can get a majority of the citizens' votes, the only way an effective government can be formed is by a coalition of parties. Such coalitions are often unstable.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.