ENGLISH
REFERENCE

collective

adj. · n.
US //kəˈɫɛktɪv// UK //kəlˈɛktɪv// col·lec·tive
  1. 1 done by a group (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    done by or belonging to all the people in a group together.

    relating to or done by all members of a group as a single body.

    Example

    The team made a collective decision to donate their prize money to charity.

    Example

    The success of the project was the result of a collective effort, requiring seamless coordination between the design and engineering departments.

    Usage

    usually placed before the noun
  2. 2 a cooperative group (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    a group of people who work together on a project or business and share the profits and control.

    a cooperative enterprise or organisation owned and managed by its members.

    Example

    She joined an artists' collective to share studio space and organize exhibitions.

    Example

    The workers formed a collective to manage the factory after the original owners declared bankruptcy, ensuring that every employee had a vote in major decisions.

    Teacher's tip

    Often used in political or artistic contexts to describe non-hierarchical organisations.
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  1. 3 grammar (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a word that represents a group of people or things but is used in the singular form.

    a collective noun; a noun that denotes a group of individuals.

    Example

    'Team' and 'family' are examples of collective nouns.

    Example

    In British English, a collective noun like 'staff' is often followed by a plural verb, whereas American English typically prefers the singular.

    Usage

    refers specifically to the linguistic category
    • collective noun
  2. 4 helicopter control (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the lever a pilot uses to make a helicopter go up or down.

    the flight control that changes the pitch of all main rotor blades simultaneously to control altitude.

    Example

    The pilot pulled up on the collective to lift the helicopter off the ground.

    Example

    To maintain a steady hover, the pilot must precisely coordinate inputs between the collective, the cyclic, and the anti-torque pedals.
    • collective pitch control
Origin

From Middle French collectif, from Latin collēctīvus, from collēctus, past participle of colligō (“I collect”), from com- (“together”) + legō (“I gather”). Compare French collectif. Doublet of colectivo.

Word family

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