English Reference
adjective · noun

collaborative

adj. · n.
US /kəˈɫæbɝˌeɪtɪv/ UK /kəlˈæbɹətˌɪv/ col·lab·o·ra·tive

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    adj.involving two or more people or groups working together to achieve something.

    adj.produced by or involving two or more parties working together toward a common goal.

    Simple

    The final report was a collaborative effort between the marketing and sales teams.

    In context

    The research paper was the result of a collaborative project involving three international universities and several private laboratories.

    Usage

    Often used with nouns like 'effort', 'project', 'approach', or 'environment'.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalAcademic

    n.a group of people or companies that work together on a specific project.

    n.a cooperative arrangement or an organized group of individuals or entities collaborating toward a specific objective.

    Simple

    The artists formed a collaborative to share studio space and gallery costs.

    In context

    The regional healthcare collaborative was established to streamline patient data sharing across several independent hospital networks.

    Teacher's tip

    While the adjective is common at B2, the noun use is more specialized and often found in professional or artistic contexts.

From there, classmates formed collaborative teams to advance the strongest concepts.

Smithsonian Magazine· 31 Jul 2026

Among his recommendations are involving children in collaborative problem solving and giving them opportunities to 'reset', an approach he believes works better than punishment.

ScienceDaily· 13 Jun 2026

From collaborate + -ive.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated