cooperation

or co-op·er·a·tion

[ koh-op-uh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint action.
2. more or less active assistance from a person, organization, etc.:

   We sought the cooperation of various civic leaders.

3. willingness to cooperate:

   to indicate cooperation.

4. Economics. the combination of persons for purposes of production, purchase, or distribution for their joint benefit:

   producers' cooperation; consumers' cooperation.

5. Sociology. activity shared for mutual benefit.
6. Ecology. mutually beneficial interaction among organisms living in a limited area.

cooperation

/ kəʊˌɒpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. joint operation or action
2. assistance or willingness to assist
3. economics the combination of consumers, workers, farmers, etc, in activities usually embracing production, distribution, or trade
4. ecology beneficial but inessential interaction between two species in a community

Derived Forms

• coˌoperˈationist, noun

Other Words From

• co·oper·ation·ist co-oper·ation·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cooperation¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Middle French, from Late Latin cooperātiōn-, stem of cooperātiō; equivalent to cooperate + -ion

Example Sentences

Evolutionary models, for example, have shown that competition promotes the ability to think about other minds more strongly than cooperation.

From Nautilus

In addition, they are gaining increasing levels of cooperation from exchanges, which face government pressure and want greater legitimacy.

From MIT Technology Review

Agreement by researchers to publish the virus genome in January set the stage for global scientific cooperation, many believed.

From Fortune

Doing so requires the cooperation of many people — from scientists and conservation organizations to governments and local residents — as well as a bit of luck.

From Science News

These approaches have won cooperation from the citizenry when it comes to wearing face masks and other behavioral changes.

From Fortune

“This new generation of leaders can make cooperation sexy,” Olikara told me.

From The Daily Beast

We ought to seek Chinese cooperation in a response to this North Korean act of aggression.

From The Daily Beast

Much can be accomplished even without the cooperation of a conservative Congress.

From The Daily Beast

The mantra in Washington is to “manage” differences with Beijing and find areas of cooperation.

From The Daily Beast

Under unusually blue skies in Beijing, the American and Chinese presidents vow cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

From The Daily Beast

The Commission appreciates the cooperation you and Western Union have shown.

From Project Gutenberg

He arrests, punishes and banishes, where there is trace of cooperation or connection with Deserter Fritz and his schemes.

From Project Gutenberg

So for the first time the race of man began to learn what international cooperation meant.

From Project Gutenberg

We have recently perfected an organization of these with a view to cooperation among States and with the Federal departments.

From Project Gutenberg

For moral and social as well as industrial protection it begs cooperation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aid
• assistance
• collaboration
• participation
• partnership
• service
• unity