collusion

[kuh-loo-zhuhn]

noun

a secret agreement, especially for fraudulent or treacherous purposes; conspiracy: Some of his employees were acting in collusion to rob him.
Law. a secret understanding between two or more persons to gain something illegally, to defraud another of his or her rights, or to appear as adversaries though in agreement: collusion of husband and wife to obtain a divorce.

Origin of collusion

1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French) < Latin collūsiōn- (stem of collūsiō), equivalent to collūs(us) (past participle of collūdere to collude) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsnon·col·lu·sion, nounpre·col·lu·sion, noun

Can be confusedcollision collusion

Synonyms for collusion

1. intrigue, connivance, complicity.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for non-collusion

collusion

noun

secret agreement for a fraudulent purpose; connivance; conspiracy
a secret agreement between opponents at law in order to obtain a judicial decision for some wrongful or improper purpose

Derived Formscollusive, adjective

Word Origin for collusion

C14: from Latin collūsiō, from collūdere to collude

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

Word Origin and History for non-collusion

collusion

late 14c., from Old French collusion, from Latin collusionem (nominative collusio) "act of colluding," from colludere, from com- "together" (see com-) + ludere "to play," from ludus "game" (see ludicrous). "The notion of fraud or underhandedness is essential to collusion" [Fowler].