Dictionary.com

cooperative

or co-op·er·a·tive

[ koh-op-er-uh-tiv, -op-ruh-tiv, -op-uh-rey-tiv ]
/ koʊˈɒp ər ə tɪv, -ˈɒp rə tɪv, -ˈɒp əˌreɪ tɪv /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: cooperative / cooperatives / cooperatively / cooperativeness on Thesaurus.com
adjective
working or acting together willingly for a common purpose or benefit.
demonstrating a willingness to cooperate: The librarian was cooperative in helping us find the book.
pertaining to economic cooperation: a cooperative business.
involving or denoting an educational program comprising both classroom study and on-the-job or technical training, especially in colleges and universities.
noun
a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.
Also called co-op, cooperative apartment.
  1. a building owned and managed by a corporation in which shares are sold, entitling the shareholders to occupy individual units in the building.
  2. an apartment in such a building.Compare condominium (defs. 1, 2).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of cooperative

From the Late Latin word cooperātīvus, dating back to 1595–1605. See cooperate, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM cooperative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to cooperative

collegial, concerted, coordinated, harmonious, interdependent, reciprocal, symbiotic, united, responsive, supportive, useful, coefficient, collective, combining, common, joining, team, sociable, agreeing, coacting

How to use cooperative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cooperative

cooperative

co-operative

/ (kəʊˈɒpərətɪv, -ˈɒprə-) /
adjective
willing to cooperate; helpful
acting in conjunction with others; cooperating
  1. (of an enterprise, farm, etc) owned collectively and managed for joint economic benefit
  2. (of an economy or economic activity) based on collective ownership and cooperative use of the means of production and distribution
noun
a cooperative organization
Also called: cooperative apartment US a block of flats belonging to a corporation in which shares are owned in proportion to the relative value of the flat occupiedSometimes shortened to: coop Compare condominium (def. 3)

Derived forms of cooperative

cooperatively or co-operatively, adverbcooperativeness or co-operativeness, noun
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
FEEDBACK