English Reference
noun

coordination

n.
US /koʊˌɔɹdəˈneɪʃən/ UK /kəʊˈɔːdɪnˈeɪʃən/ co·or·di·na·tion UK spelling coordinations

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of making different people, groups, or parts work together to achieve a goal.

    the organized integration of diverse elements or participants into a harmonious or efficient relationship.

    Simple

    The project failed because there was no coordination between the different departments.

    In context

    Effective disaster relief requires seamless coordination between international NGOs, local government agencies, and military logistics teams.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'of'.

    disorganizationchaos
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the ability to move different parts of your body together smoothly and accurately.

    the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently, often involving sensory feedback.

    Simple

    Playing video games can actually help improve your hand-eye coordination.

    In context

    The gymnast displayed incredible coordination, executing a complex series of flips and landings with perfect precision.

    Usage

    Commonly modified by adjectives like 'hand-eye' or 'physical'.

    clumsiness
  3. 03 C1 Advanced AcademicTechnical Science

    joining two equal parts of a sentence using words like 'and', 'but', or 'or'.

    the grammatical joining of two or more words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank, typically using a coordinating conjunction.

    Simple

    In the sentence 'I like tea and he likes coffee', the two parts are joined by coordination.

    In context

    The author's heavy use of coordination rather than subordination gives the prose a rhythmic, almost biblical quality.

    Usage

    Contrasted with 'subordination' in linguistic analysis.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a technical term for teachers; students usually just learn the word 'conjunctions'.

    subordination
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the way a central metal atom bonds with other molecules around it.

    the formation of a complex in which a central metal atom or ion is surrounded by a set of bonded molecules or ions called ligands.

    Simple

    The scientist studied the coordination of the metal ions in the new liquid.

    In context

    The coordination number of the central cobalt atom determines the specific geometric shape of the resulting molecular complex.

    Usage

    Often appears in the phrase 'coordination compound' or 'coordination number'.

    complexationbonding

Usage coordination office · coordination with national

He said the military remains responsible for the occupied West Bank under the existing system, while coordination between the army and police already takes place.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026

Although many families in rural Afghanistan struggle to secure food and water, the UN’s aid coordination office spokesperson Olga Cherevko said on Thursday that the chief concern is the continuing ban on girls’ education.

UN News· 13 Aug 2026

From Middle French coordination, from Late Latin coōrdinātiōnem (accusative of coōrdinātiō), from con- + ōrdinātiō. Morphologically coordinate + -ion.

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

This entry
Origin la-lat coōrdinātiōnem
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated