cooperative

The word “cooperative” means willing to work with others; helpful. In plain terms, either willing to help and work with others, or (as a noun) a business jointly owned by its members.

“Cooperative” is pronounced koo-AHP-ruh-tihv (/kuˈɑp.ɹətɪv/ in IPA).

Here is “cooperative” used in a sentence: “The staff were very cooperative when we asked for changes.”

The opposite of “cooperative” — its antonyms — are adversarial and competitive.

Depending on how it is used, “cooperative” can be an adjective and a noun.

“Cooperative” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Cooperative” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: willing to work with others; helpful.

Cooperative describes being willing to work with others or involving joint effort, and is used broadly for attitudes and arrangements, while collaborative more specifically emphasizes people actively working together to create something, such as a collaborative project. A cooperative person is helpful and agreeable; a collaborative process is one built on joint contribution.

A cooperative is a business or organization owned and jointly run by its members, such as employees, farmers, or customers, who share in decision-making and often in profits. Examples include agricultural cooperatives and housing cooperatives.

When describing a person, cooperative means willing to work with others and helpful rather than obstructive, such as a cooperative witness who answers questions honestly and fully.