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

Derived Forms

• colˈlectively, adverb
• colˈlectiveness, noun

Other Words From

• col·lec·tive·ly adverb
• non·col·lec·tive adjective
• un·col·lec·tive adjective

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

As our collective nervousness over AI grows each day, “The Wild Robot” emerges from the woods with a completely different take on a man-made being with the ability to learn.

From Los Angeles Times

The collective angst has so far not resulted in a massive protest and, as the Supreme Court once observed, politicians just “pass the buck” and wait for the season to get over.

From BBC

They stuck to the 4% rent increase, explaining that the collective is not rent controlled or project-based Section 8 housing, which keeps tenants’ rent payments capped at roughly 30% of their income.

From Los Angeles Times

Much to the chagrin of his critics, Trump’s push to the finish was fueled almost entirely by edgy comedy, which has left many people feeling uneasy about our collective sense of humor.

From Salon

As in 2016, the people seemed unready for the transformative potential of a woman’s leadership, much less a woman of color — a vision that remains, tragically, beyond the nation’s collective horizon.

From Salon

Related Words

• concerted
• corporate
• cumulative
• mutual
• shared
• unified