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

The tourists suffered a crushing defeat in the first Test, though on the opening day in Perth returned the highest collective average speed recorded by an England attack.

Read more on BBC

Just before the first Ashes Test, when England recorded their fastest collective day of pace bowling on record, BBC Sport met Spencer at his home in the south-west suburbs of Perth.

Read more on BBC

Kiffin has said that the best jobs in college football are the ones whose NIL collectives, which fund so-called “name, image and likeness” payments, had the biggest war chests to spend on players.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Labor strategy shifted from collective union action to individual legal remedies.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Their collective group, known as Lepidosauria, has achieved remarkable success, raising long-standing questions about which early traits gave them such an advantage.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

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