ENGLISH
REFERENCE

headquarters

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈhɛdˌkɔɹtɝz// UK //hɛdkwˈɔːtəz// head·quar·ters General-service

n. the main office or central building of a company or organization. It is the place where the leaders work and make important decisions.

n. the central administrative office or main building of an organization, corporation, or military unit. Often used as a collective noun for the personnel working at such a location.


SIMPLE

The company moved its headquarters to London last year.

CONTEXTUAL

After the merger, the new firm established its global headquarters in a modern skyscraper downtown.

COMPLEX

While regional branches handle daily operations, the strategic direction of the non-profit is determined exclusively by the executive team at the headquarters.

Synonyms
Origin

From head + quarters.

Usage

The word is plural in form but can take either a singular or plural verb ('the headquarters is' or 'the headquarters are').

Pitfall

He works at the headquarter.He works at the headquarters.The word must always end in 's', even when referring to a single location.

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