# corporation

/ˌkɔɹpɝˈeɪʃən/ (US) · /kˌɔːpəɹˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/corporation
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a large company

noun · CEFR B2

a large company or business that is owned by many people but acts as a single unit.

For teachers: a large business organisation that is legally recognised as a single entity, separate from its owners or shareholders.

- The multinational corporation has offices in over fifty different countries.
- The corporation faced significant legal challenges after failing to disclose its environmental impact to the board of directors.

Usage: Often used with 'multinational' or 'global' to describe very large businesses.

### 2. city government

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

the group of people who govern a city or town.

For teachers: the municipal governing body of a city or borough, particularly in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations.

- The city corporation decided to build a new park in the town centre.
- The City of London Corporation manages the financial district and maintains several major bridges across the Thames.

Usage: Usually capitalised when referring to a specific city's governing body.

### 3. a large belly

noun · CEFR C2 · Humorous · Slang · Archaic

a humorous way to describe a person's large, round stomach.

For teachers: a protruding belly or paunch, used as a humorous metaphor for physical bulk.

- He had developed quite a corporation after years of eating rich food.
- The old gentleman patted his impressive corporation with a look of deep satisfaction after the three-course meal.

Teaching tip: This sense is very rare in modern speech and is mostly found in older literature or used by older speakers for comedic effect.

## Examples

- The corporation has offices in over fifty countries.
- After the merger, the new corporation became the largest employer in the city's financial district.
- Multinational corporations often navigate complex regulatory environments by establishing local subsidiaries that comply with the specific legal frameworks of each host nation.

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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.