collaboration

/kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃən/

Say it: kuh-lab-uh-RAY-shun

1. noun The action of working with someone to produce or create something.
The new album is a collaboration between the two artists.
2. noun Traitorous cooperation with an enemy.
He was accused of collaboration with the occupying army during the war.

📖 Seen in the wild

The project was a successful collaboration between two research teams.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ collaboration in a sentence

Our marketing team's collaboration with the sales department led to a 20% increase in leads.
The international collaboration on the new space telescope has yielded groundbreaking discoveries.
This whole event was a huge collaboration; so many people pitched in to make it happen.
Successful research in this field often requires cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The design was the result of a close collaboration between the architect and the client.
Her posthumously published novel was a collaboration with her editor, who pieced together the final chapters from her notes.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

cooperation partnership teamwork alliance synergy joint effort concerted action

cooperation · suggests a less intensive or creative joint effort than collaboration.

partnership · implies a more formal, often contractual, relationship.

teamwork · focuses on the coordinated effort of a group, often within a single organization.

alliance · typically refers to a formal agreement between larger entities like companies or nations.

Opposites: solo effort, individualism, competition, opposition, resistance

🌱 Where it comes from

The word comes from the Latin 'collaborare', which breaks down into 'com-' (with, together) and 'laborare' (to work). For centuries it simply meant 'to work together', but it gained its dark, secondary meaning of 'traitorous cooperation' during World War II, referring to citizens who aided occupying enemy forces.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

in collaboration witha close collaborationartistic collaborationfoster collaborationscientific collaborationa fruitful collaboration

While 'collaboration' is overwhelmingly positive, associated with creativity and progress, be aware of its specific negative meaning. In historical or political contexts, it refers to treason. The context almost always makes the meaning clear, but it's a distinction worth knowing. For a more general term about simply getting along or helping, 'cooperation' is often a better fit.

Word family: collaborate, collaborator, collaborative, collaboratively

💬 Quick answers

What does collaboration mean?

Collaboration is the act of working jointly with others on an activity or project, especially to create something new or achieve a shared goal.

What is the difference between collaboration and cooperation?

Collaboration implies a deeper, more active partnership in creating something, while cooperation can simply mean working together smoothly or helping each other with separate tasks.

Can collaboration have a negative meaning?

Yes, in a historical or political context, collaboration refers to the serious crime of cooperating with an enemy force occupying one's country.

Is 'collaboration' a formal word?

It is a neutral to formal word, appropriate for professional, academic, and general use. It is less common in very casual, informal conversation.

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