adj
Common
collective
kuh-LEHK-tihv
Collective (adj) means Shared by, or done by, a group as a whole rather than by individuals separately. Example: “The team made a collective decision to postpone the launch.”
adj
1
Shared by, or done by, a group as a whole rather than by individuals separately.
"The team made a collective decision to postpone the launch."
"They felt a collective sense of relief when the results came in."
"The villagers made a collective effort to clean up the park after the storm."
noun
1
A group of people organized around a shared cause, business, or way of working together.
"The farm is run as a collective, with profits shared equally."
"She joined an artists' collective that shares a studio and its tools."
"The bakery began as a collective run by six neighbours."
How to use collective
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something done together as a group, or refers to the group itself.
Common pairings
collective effort
collective bargaining
artists' collective
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like collective.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- collectives
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The team made a _____ decision to postpone the launch.
Etymology
From Latin collectivus, from colligere, "to gather together".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for collective
See all rhymes for collective →Frequently asked questions
What does “collective” mean?
The word “collective” means shared by, or done by, a group as a whole rather than by individuals separately. In plain terms, describes something done together as a group, or refers to the group itself.
How do you pronounce “collective”?
“Collective” is pronounced kuh-LEHK-tihv (/kəˈlɛktɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “collective” in a sentence?
Here is “collective” used in a sentence: “The team made a collective decision to postpone the launch.”
What part of speech is “collective”?
Depending on how it is used, “collective” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “collective” come from?
The word “collective” comes from Latin. From Latin collectivus, from colligere, "to gather together".
Is “collective” a common word?
“Collective” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “collective” have?
“Collective” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: shared by, or done by, a group as a whole rather than by individuals separately.
What is the difference between 'collective' and 'individual'?
"Collective" describes something shared by or done by a group as a whole, while "individual" describes something belonging to or done by a single person. A collective decision is made by the group together; an individual decision is made by one person alone.
What is the difference between a 'collective' and a 'cooperative'?
A collective is a group of people organized around a shared cause, business, or way of working, while a cooperative is a specific type of organization owned and democratically run by its members. Cooperatives are collectives in spirit, but "cooperative" usually implies a formal legal and financial structure.
What is a 'collective noun'?
A collective noun is a word that names a group of people, animals, or things as a single unit, such as "team," "flock," or "committee." It reflects the adjective's meaning of a group treated as a whole rather than as separate individuals.
Is 'collective' singular or plural?
As a noun meaning a group, "collective" is grammatically singular, so you say "the collective is meeting," though British English sometimes treats such group nouns as plural, as in "the collective are meeting." As an adjective it does not change form.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include collective:
