English Reference
adjective · noun

cooperative

adj. · n.
US /koʊˈɑpɝˌeɪtɪv/ UK /kəʊˈɒpəɹətˌɪv/ co·op·er·a·tive UK spelling cooperatives

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.willing to help or work with others to achieve a goal.

    adj.willing to assist or work jointly with others toward a common purpose.

    Simple

    The witness was very cooperative and answered all the police officer's questions.

    In context

    The suspect remained surprisingly cooperative throughout the interrogation, providing detailed accounts that corroborated the physical evidence found at the scene.

    uncooperativedifficult
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.involving two or more people or groups working together.

    adj.characterised by joint effort or mutual collaboration between parties.

    Simple

    The two schools started a cooperative project to improve the local park.

    In context

    The successful launch was the result of a cooperative effort between international space agencies and private engineering firms.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.a business or organisation owned and run by the people who work there or use its services.

    n.an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet common economic or social needs through a jointly-owned enterprise.

    Simple

    We buy our vegetables from a local farming cooperative that supports small growers.

    In context

    The housing cooperative allows residents to have a direct say in how their building is managed and maintained.

    Usage

    Often shortened to 'co-op' in everyday speech.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'cooperative' is the formal name, students will more frequently encounter the abbreviation 'co-op' in retail or housing contexts.

    co opcollective

That shifts attention toward other characteristics that may have helped ants, bees and wasps repeatedly evolve highly cooperative colonies.

ScienceDaily· 15 Aug 2026

As the young wolves grow, some stay with the pack for one to two years and serve in the cooperative family unit.

Smithsonian Magazine· 31 Jul 2026

From co- + operative.

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

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated