collaborate

verb

col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt 

collaborated; collaborating

intransitive verb

1

: to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor

An international team of scientists collaborated on the study.

2

: to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an occupying force

suspected of collaborating with the enemy

3

: to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected

The two schools collaborate on library services.

collaboration

kə-ˌla-bə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

collaborative

kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tiv

-b(ə-)rə- 

adjective or noun

collaboratively

kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tiv-lē 

-b(ə-)rə-

adverb

Did you know?

The Latin prefix com-, meaning "with, together, or jointly," is a bit of a chameleon—it has a tricky habit of changing its appearance depending on what it's next to. If the word it precedes begins with l, com- becomes col- (as in colleague, collect, and collide). In the case of collaborate, com- teamed up with laborare ("to labor") to form Late Latin collaborare ("to labor together").

Synonyms

• band (together)
• concert
• concur
• conjoin
• conspire
• cooperate
• join
• league
• team (up)
• unite

Examples of collaborate in a Sentence

The two companies agreed to collaborate.

He was suspected of collaborating with the occupying army.

Recent Examples on the Web

The two upstate MCs who first connected as aspirants, and are now collaborating on Stabbed & Shot II, released last week. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024

The beloved platform Kanopy collaborates with public libraries and universities to stream commercial-less, free content, including the best of classic cinema. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2024

Construction workers collaborated closely on the layout, building intentionally uneven walls. —Shafaq Patel, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024

The director has collaborated individually with both Hanks and Wright in the three decades since Forrest Gump's release, but the group reunited to make Here, which tells the story of one couple at various stages of their life together. —Tommy McArdle, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare to labor together, from Latin com- + laborare to labor — more at labor

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

collaborate

verb

col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈlab-ə-ˌrāt 

collaborated; collaborating

1

: to work with others (as in writing a book)

2

: to cooperate with an enemy force that has taken over one's country

collaboration

kə-ˌlab-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

collaborationist

-sh(ə-)nəst

noun

collaborator

kə-ˈlab-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

collaborate

intransitive verb

col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt 

collaborated; collaborating

: to work jointly with others in some endeavor