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Synonyms

collaborator

American  
[kuh-lab-uh-rey-ter] / kəˈlæb əˌreɪ tər /

noun

collaborators plural
  1. a person who works or cooperates with another on something; a coauthor, coproducer, etc..

    She is currently at work on a new recording project with longtime collaborator Greg Timson.

  2. a person who cooperates with an enemy nation or force, especially with an enemy occupying one’s country.

    Her book gives a detailed account of postwar Poland’s legal retribution against its Nazi collaborators.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of collaborator

First recorded in 1800–10; from French collaborateur, equivalent to Late Latin collabōrāt(us) (past participle of collabōrāre ) + -or 2 ( def. ); see collaborate ( def. )

Vocabulary lists containing collaborator

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.

“I liked it, it was something new,” said Luis R. Conriquez, who called up the new singer to be a collaborator.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

Looking ahead, Lightbody said singer-songwriter Raye would be his ideal future collaborator.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

The name is a nod to the best friend and literary collaborator of Cicero, the Roman statesman.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

He directed 236 episodes and also co-created "Cheers" with longtime collaborator James Brooks, as well as its spin-off "Frasier."

From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026

Abernathy was Martin Luther King Jr.’s closest collaborator and had inherited the mantle of his Poor People’s Campaign, the second phase of the civil rights movement.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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