collaborate

[ kuh-lab-uh-reyt ]

verb (used without object)

, col·lab·o·rat·ed, col·lab·o·rat·ing.

1. to work, one with another; cooperate, as on a literary work:

   They collaborated on a novel.

2. to cooperate with an enemy nation, especially with an enemy occupying one's country:

   He collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

   Synonyms: abet, assist, join, collude

collaborate

/ kəˈlæbəˌreɪt /

verb

1. often foll byon, with, etc to work with another or others on a joint project
2. to cooperate as a traitor, esp with an enemy occupying one's own country

Derived Forms

• colˈlaboˌrator, noun
• colˈlaborative, adjective

Other Words From

• col·lab·o·ra·tor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of collaborate¹

First recorded in 1870–75; from Late Latin collabōrātus (past participle of collabōrāre), equivalent to col- col- ¹ + labor “work” + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of collaborate¹

C19: from Late Latin collabōrāre, from Latin com- together + labōrāre to work

Example Sentences

Those who played together were more likely to collaborate in these endeavors, indicating that play can signal cooperative motivation and enhance collective cooperation.

From Science Daily

When he wrote and directed his debut feature, renegade western “The Harder They Fall,” Netflix was reluctant to let him also score it; under pressure, he met with several “established” Hollywood composers about collaborating.

From Los Angeles Times

Also at Cop29, which ends on Friday, 22 November, the US and UK announced that they would collaborate to speed up the development of new nuclear power technology.

From BBC

“When my father, Carmine, died, I lost a classical composer I used to collaborate with since I began directing plays in college,” Coppola says via email.

From Los Angeles Times

The director was finishing his second feature film and told Smerilli maybe they could collaborate on the next one.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• collude
• conspire
• cooperate
• hook up
• participate

More About Collaborate

What does collaborate mean?

Collaborate means to work together, especially on a goal or shared project.

Collaborate is often used in a positive context to refer to two or more parties successfully working together on professional or artistic projects. It often implies more than just cooperation. When two or more people collaborate, they often share and develop each other’s ideas.

The act of collaborating is called collaboration. Such a joint effort can be described with the adjective collaborative. People who collaborate are called collaborators.

Collaborate can also be used in a much more specific way meaning to cooperate as a traitor with enemy forces in one’s own country. This is much less commonly used than its general sense.

Example: The two musicians, who usually have very different styles, collaborated on the groundbreaking new album.

Where does collaborate come from?

The first records of the word collaborate come from the 1870s. It derives from the Latin verb collabōrāre. The prefix col- is a variant of com-, meaning “together.” At the heart of the word is labor, meaning “work.”

Collaborate can be used in any context in which people work together: art, business, education—the collaborative possibilities are endless. The word is often used to refer to a creative give-and-take, such as two artists collaborating to paint a mural, or to professional collaboration, such as three different departments collaborating on a report. It’s typically used in the context of some project or goal, whereas the word cooperate can be used more broadly.

Did you know ... ?  

What are some other forms of collaborate?

 

• collaboration (noun)
• collaborative (adjective)
• collaboratively (adverb)

What are some synonyms for collaborate?

• cooperate

What are some words that share a root or word element with collaborate? 

• labor
• collect

What are some words that often get used in discussing collaborate?

• project
• task
• process
• method
• cooperation
• joint

How is collaborate used in real life?

Collaborate can be used for many different situations, and is particularly associated with cooperative processes that are creative or artistic.

Emailed a NYT journalist asking if he'd share some federal data I couldn't find. Immediately responded, forwarded me information, and offered to jump on the phone. Top-tier journos who eagerly collaborate makes me happy to be in this field.

— Emily McCarty (@emjmccarty) May 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/Micah_Johnson3/status/1266150829800722432

https://twitter.com/danmoulthrop/status/1266105162172706818

Try using collaborate!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to describe a process in which two people successfully collaborate? 

A. independent
B. cooperative
C. joint
D. coordinating