ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ownership

n.
US //ˈoʊnɝˌʃɪp// UK //ˈəʊnəʃˌɪp// own·er·ship
  1. 1 legal possession (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    the state of legally owning something, like a house, a car, or a company.

    the state or fact of legal possession and proprietorship. Uncountable in its abstract sense, though it can be countable when referring to specific models of holding property.

    Example

    The family has held ownership of the farm for over a hundred years.

    Example

    The dispute over the land's ownership lasted for decades, as neither party could produce the original deed from the nineteenth century.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'of'.

  2. 2 responsibility (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Business

    taking responsibility for a task or a problem and making sure it is finished.

    the act of taking responsibility for an idea, project, or problem, often in a professional or psychological context.

    Example

    The manager wants every team member to take ownership of their own projects.

    Example

    By giving employees more autonomy, the company encouraged them to take full ownership of the product development cycle.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'to take ownership of'.

Origin

From owner + -ship.

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