col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv 
1
: denoting a number of persons or things considered as one group or whole
flock is a collective word
2
a
: formed by collecting : aggregated
b
of a fruit
: multiple
3
a
: of, relating to, or being a group of individuals
b
: involving all members of a group as distinct from its individuals
a collective action
4
: marked by similarity among or with the members of a group
the collective interests of the town
5
: collectivized or characterized by collectivism
collective farming
collective communities
6
: shared or assumed by all members of the group
collective responsibility
the collective opinion of the staff
collective guilt
collectively
adverb
1
: a collective body : group
a social collective
2
: a cooperative unit or organization
specifically
: collective farm
3
: a helicopter control system governing lift
Examples of collective in a Sentence
Adjective
We made a collective decision to go on strike.
The incident became part of our collective memory.
the collective wisdom of generations
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2025
A little over a year away from the World Cup, there’s a collective concern from within the U.S. soccer landscape that this current group — one that has created so much excitement in the fan base — may simply not be good enough for a historic run on home soil.
—Paul Tenorio, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025
In-home daycare centers, nanny collectives, and elder companion services can be launched with proper licensing and community trust (and many are eligible for state support programs or grants).
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collective
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Adjective
The documentary charts the adventures of an artist collective in Rhode Island that found a hidden space inside the bowels of the Providence Place Mall in 2003.
—Noun
The assemblage of footage shot by the filmmaking collective, together with cellphone video captured by residents of various villages in Masafer Yatta during attacks, establish a years-long history of the very kind of violence visited upon Ballal today.
—Cite this Entry
“Collective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collective. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Kids Definition
collective
1 of 2 adjective
col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv
1
: having to do with a number of persons or things considered as one group
"flock" is a collective noun
2
: formed by collecting
3
: of, relating to, or involving all members of a group
the collective feelings of the team
collective legal action
4
: shared or done by a number of persons as a group
a collective effort
collectively
adverb
collective
2 of 2 noun1
: a collective body : group
2
: a cooperative unit or organization
Legal Definition
collective
adjective
col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv
: involving all members of a group as distinct from individual members
collectively
adverb
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