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Synonyms

cooperative

American  
[koh-op-er-uh-tiv, -op-ruh-tiv, -op-uh-rey-tiv] / koʊˈɒp ər ə tɪv, -ˈɒp rə tɪv, -ˈɒp əˌreɪ tɪv /
Or co-operative

adjective

  1. working or acting together willingly for a common purpose or benefit.

  2. demonstrating a willingness to cooperate.

    The librarian was cooperative in helping us find the book.

  3. pertaining to economic cooperation.

    a cooperative business.

  4. involving or denoting an educational program comprising both classroom study and on-the-job or technical training, especially in colleges and universities.


noun

  1. a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.

  2. Also called co-op.  Also called cooperative apartment

    1. a building owned and managed by a corporation in which shares are sold, entitling the shareholders to occupy individual units in the building.

    2. an apartment in such a building.

cooperative British  
/ kəʊˈɒpərətɪv, -ˈɒprə- /

adjective

  1. willing to cooperate; helpful

  2. acting in conjunction with others; cooperating

    1. (of an enterprise, farm, etc) owned collectively and managed for joint economic benefit

    2. (of an economy or economic activity) based on collective ownership and cooperative use of the means of production and distribution

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a cooperative organization

  2. Sometimes shortened to: coop.  Also called: cooperative apartment.  a block of flats belonging to a corporation in which shares are owned in proportion to the relative value of the flat occupied Compare condominium

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • co-operatively adverb
  • co-operativeness noun
  • cooperatively adverb
  • cooperativeness noun
  • uncooperative adjective
  • uncooperatively adverb
  • uncooperativeness noun

Etymology

Origin of cooperative

From the Late Latin word cooperātīvus, dating back to 1595–1605. See cooperate, -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“At the time, we were like, ‘Well, we don’t have a cooperative federal partner and it’s going to be very difficult to do this without a federal partner,’” said Glen.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Jalen Brown Enterprises Inc. supports lawful compliance and cooperative engagement with municipalities wherever we operate. However, this private residential gathering was interrupted without substantiated cause, resulting in significant financial and reputational harm.”

From Los Angeles Times

“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

The 42‑year‑old credits Sahyadri Farms, a cooperative launched in 2011 by 110 small growers, which helps members cut costs and gain access to markets.

From Barron's

Many joint task forces and cooperative law enforcement operations continue.

From The Wall Street Journal