collective

[kuh-lek-tiv]

adjective

1. formed by collection.

2. forming a whole; combined.

   the collective assets of a corporation and its subsidiaries.

3. of or characteristic of a group of individuals taken together.

   the collective wishes of the membership.

4. organized according to the principles of collectivism.

   a collective farm.

noun

1. collective noun.

2. a collective body; group.

3. a business, farm, etc., jointly owned and operated by the members of a group.

4. a unit of organization or the organization in a collectivist system.

collective

/ kəˈlɛktɪv /

adjective

1. formed or assembled by collection

2. forming a whole or aggregate

3. of, done by, or characteristic of individuals acting in cooperation

noun

1. 1. a cooperative enterprise or unit, such as a collective farm

   2. the members of such a cooperative

2. short for collective noun

Other Word Forms

• collectively adverb
• noncollective adjective
• uncollective adjective
• collectiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of collective¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English collectif (from Middle French ), from Latin collēctīvus, equivalent to collēct(us) (past participle of colligere; collect ¹ ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

After months of anxious waiting business may then breathe a collective sigh of relief.

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The inswinging cross and the collective movement towards the goal forced the Liverpool players closer to their own goal.

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The thorniest issues were bundled into a "mutirao" pact -- the summit's slogan, drawn from the Tupi-Guarani word for "collective effort."

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James Washington, who recently was the head of UCLA’s NIL collective, denies any impropriety tied to funds being funneled through a nonprofit he runs.

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He has argued that “policies that help the poorest could create far more collective happiness than boosting the fortunes of those who are already well-off.”

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Related Words

• concerted 
• corporate 
• cumulative 
• mutual 
• shared www.thesaurus.com
• unified www.thesaurus.com