What does "consortium" mean?

1. (business/project group) a group of companies or banks that join together to complete a big project or business deal. 2. (institutional group) a group of universities, libraries, or other non-business groups that share information or costs. 3. (legal right) the legal right of a husband or wife to have a normal relationship with their partner. 4. (microbial group) a group of different tiny organisms that live together and help each other.

How do you use "consortium"?

Often used with 'of' followed by the members of the group. Almost exclusively used in the phrase 'loss of consortium'.

consortium

US //kənˈsɔɹʃiəm// UK //kənsˈɔːtiəm// con·sor·tium

1 business/project group (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Academic

a group of companies or banks that join together to complete a big project or business deal.

an association of several business entities or financial institutions formed to engage in a joint venture or large-scale project.

Example

A consortium of international banks provided the funding for the new airport.

Example

The construction of the transcontinental pipeline was managed by a consortium of three major energy firms and several smaller engineering contractors.

Usage

Often used with 'of' followed by the members of the group.
2 institutional group (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Formal

a group of universities, libraries, or other non-business groups that share information or costs.

a collaborative arrangement among non-commercial institutions, such as universities or libraries, to share resources or research.

Example

The university consortium allows students to borrow books from any member library.

Example

A research consortium was established between five European universities to investigate the long-term effects of microplastics in the ocean.
- coalition
- union

Show 2 more sensesShow fewer

3 legal right (n.)
C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Law

the legal right of a husband or wife to have a normal relationship with their partner.

the legal right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of the other.

Example

The lawyer argued that the accident had caused a loss of consortium for the victim's husband.

Example

In personal injury litigation, damages may be sought for loss of consortium if the injury severely impairs the marital relationship.

Usage

Almost exclusively used in the phrase 'loss of consortium'.
4 microbial group (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Academic Science

a group of different tiny organisms that live together and help each other.

a group of two or more microbial species living in a symbiotic relationship.

Example

The soil contains a complex consortium of bacteria that helps plants grow.

Example

The degradation of the pollutant was achieved by a microbial consortium rather than a single isolated strain.

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin cōnsortium.