# consortium

/kənˈsɔɹʃiəm/ (US) · /kənsˈɔːtiəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/consortium
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. business/project group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

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

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

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

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

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

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

- The university consortium allows students to borrow books from any member library.
- A research consortium was established between five European universities to investigate the long-term effects of microplastics in the ocean.

### 3. legal right

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

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

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

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

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Academic

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

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

- The soil contains a complex consortium of bacteria that helps plants grow.
- The degradation of the pollutant was achieved by a microbial consortium rather than a single isolated strain.

## Examples

- A consortium of local businesses funded the new park.
- The international consortium of researchers shared their data to accelerate the development of the new vaccine.
- A consortium of major banks agreed to provide the necessary capital for the infrastructure project, spreading the financial risk across multiple institutions to ensure long-term stability.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.