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noun C1 Advanced Common

collaboration

kuh-la-buh-RAY-shuhn

Collaboration (noun) means the act of working together with others on a shared task. Example: “The album was a collaboration between two well-known producers.”

noun
1
The act of working together with others on a shared task.
"The album was a collaboration between two well-known producers."
"Good collaboration between departments sped up the launch."
2
Disloyal cooperation with an enemy or occupying force.
"After the war, several officials were tried for collaboration."

How to Use Collaboration

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTeaming up to get something done together.

Common pairings
in collaboration with a close collaboration

Word Forms

collaborations plural

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Fill the Gap

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The album was a _____ between two well-known producers.

Etymology

From French collaboration, ultimately from Latin com- ("with") and laborare ("to work").

Origin: Latin

Related Words

Rhymes for collaboration

See all rhymes for collaboration →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “collaboration” mean?

The word “collaboration” means the act of working together with others on a shared task. In plain terms, teaming up to get something done together.

How do you pronounce “collaboration”?

“Collaboration” is pronounced kuh-la-buh-RAY-shuhn (/kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/ in IPA).

How do you use “collaboration” in a sentence?

Here is “collaboration” used in a sentence: “The album was a collaboration between two well-known producers.”

What part of speech is “collaboration”?

“Collaboration” is a noun.

Where does the word “collaboration” come from?

The word “collaboration” comes from Latin. From French collaboration, ultimately from Latin com- ("with") and laborare ("to work").

Is “collaboration” a common word?

“Collaboration” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “collaboration” have?

“Collaboration” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of working together with others on a shared task.

What is the difference between "collaboration" and "cooperation"?

Collaboration means actively working together to create or achieve something shared, with the parties combining their effort toward one goal. Cooperation is broader and simply means being willing to help or not obstruct, so people can cooperate without truly collaborating on the same task.

Why does "collaboration" sometimes have a negative meaning?

"Collaboration" has a second, negative sense meaning disloyal cooperation with an enemy or occupying force, especially during wartime. In that context a "collaborator" is a traitor, which is why the word can carry very different tones depending on the situation.

How do you use "in collaboration with" correctly?

"In collaboration with" is a set phrase used to credit joint work, as in "the report was written in collaboration with two universities." It signals that the named parties worked together as partners rather than one simply assisting the other.

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