collegial
Americanadjective
-
of or characterized by the collective responsibility shared by each of a group of colleagues, with minimal supervision from above.
adjective
-
of or relating to a college
-
having authority or power shared among a number of people associated as colleagues
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of collegial
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word collēgiālis. See college, -al 1
Explanation
Collegial is an adjective describing a work environment where responsibility and authority is shared equally by colleagues. You know you work in a collegial environment when your co-workers smile at you, and you don’t have to hide from your supervisor. Sharing its origins with college and colleague, collegial has senses relating to both words. A collegial office describes the shared responsibility or congenial relationship of colleagues, meaning people who happily or pleasantly work together. The word collegial can also be a synonym for collegiate, describing something that is like or typical of colleges or colleges students. But no frat parties at the office, okay? That may be collegiate, but it doesn’t always lead to collegial behavior.
Vocabulary lists containing collegial
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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.
Then assemble a group of very bright, hardworking, collegial, honest people and lead that team.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
I am interested in a collegial environment where people respect each other enough that they can actually argue with each other.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Members of opposing parties in student government typically were collegial with one another, socializing together despite disagreements.
From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025
"The notion is to make it collegial, if you will. And the Israelis will obviously be in constant touch with them," the first official said.
From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025
He spent the next few hours in a collegial discussion with Groves about the challenges facing the bomb designers.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
