Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Done by or characteristic of a group acting together: Describes something that is shared by, involves, or is typical of a group of people considered as a whole.
   • Forming a whole or aggregate: Describes multiple items or individuals that are gathered together to form a single unit or entity.
   • Set up on the principle of collectivism: Relating to an organization or system where property and the means of production are owned and controlled by the group or the state.

2. Noun:

   • A cooperative enterprise or organization: A business or farm owned and run jointly by its members, who share the profits or benefits.
   • (Linguistics) A collective noun: A noun that denotes a group of individuals (e.g., team, family, flock).

Examples

• Adjective:

  • The decision was a collective one, made by the entire committee.
  • We have a collective responsibility to protect the environment.
  • They lived on a collective farm.

• Noun:

  • The artist joined an arts collective to share studio space.
  • "Herd" is a collective for cattle.

Advanced Usage

• "Collective bargaining": Negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees (a union).

  • The union entered into collective bargaining with the company management.

• "Collective unconscious": (In Jungian psychology) A part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience, and is common to all humankind.

  • Jung theorized about archetypes residing in the collective unconscious.

• "Collective wisdom": The combined knowledge and judgment of a group of people.

  • We should trust the collective wisdom of the experienced team.

Variants and Related Words

• Collectively (adverb): In a way that is done or shared by all members of a group.

  • The group collectively decided to postpone the event.

• Collectivism (noun): The practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it; the theory of collective ownership.

  • The political philosophy was based on collectivism.

• Collectivize (verb): To organize (something) on the basis of collective ownership or control.

  • The government sought to collectivize agriculture.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Joint, combined, shared, common, cooperative, united, aggregate.
• Noun: Cooperative, commune, collective farm, consortium.

Related Phrases

• Collective noun: (Linguistics) A noun that appears singular in form but denotes a group, such as audience, committee, or staff.

  • Remember that in British English, a collective noun can take either a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is seen as a unit or as individuals.

• Collective security: A system by which states have attempted to prevent or stop wars by agreeing to take joint action against any state that attacks another.

  • The alliance was formed for the purpose of collective security.

Idioms

• Collective effort: Work or action undertaken jointly by a group.

  • The project's success was due to a tremendous collective effort.

• Collective memory: The shared pool of memories, knowledge, and information of a social group.

  • The event is an important part of our nation's collective memory.

Adjective

1. set up on the principle of collectivism or ownership and production by the workers involved usually under the supervision of a government
   • collective farms
2. forming a whole or aggregate
3. done by or characteristic of individuals acting together
   • a joint identity
   • the collective mind
   • the corporate good

Noun

1. members of a cooperative enterprise