cooperative

1 of 2

adjective

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv 

-ˈä-pə-ˌrā-

1

a

: marked by cooperation

cooperative efforts

b

: marked by a willingness and ability to work with others

cooperative neighbors

2

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

a cooperative store

3

: relating to or comprising a program of combined liberal arts and technical studies at different schools

cooperatively adverb

cooperativeness noun

cooperative

2 of 2

noun

: an enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

Synonyms

Adjective

• collaborative
• collective
• combined
• common
• communal
• concerted
• conjoint
• conjunct
• joint
• multiple
• mutual
• pooled
• public
• shared
• united

Examples of cooperative in a Sentence

Adjective

The witness was very cooperative.

a cooperative space project undertaken by Russia and the U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Tens of millions play the annual video game release, which has grown to include single-player story campaigns and other modes including online multiplayer and cooperative games. —Carlie Procell, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024

Our intelligence is collective intelligence, cooperative intelligence. —Gillian Hadfield, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024

Noun

Charming and cooperative, Libras are mediators at heart, but their desire to keep the peace can also lead to indecision and people-pleasing tendencies. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 Sep. 2024

One potential solution is data cooperatives, an organizational model that enable individuals to pool their data with the purpose of gaining bargaining power with the companies analyzing their data. —José Parra-Moyano amit Joshi, Harvard Business Review, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see cooperate

Noun

see cooperate

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cooperative

1 of 2 adjective

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive kō-ˈäp-(ə-)rət-iv 

-ˈäp-ə-ˌrāt-

1

: willing to cooperate

cooperative neighbors

2

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

a cooperative store

cooperative apartments

cooperatively adverb

cooperativeness noun

cooperative

2 of 2 noun

: an association owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

Legal Definition

cooperative

1 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

cooperative

2 of 2 noun

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive

: an enterprise or organization (as for banking and credit services or the ownership of residential property) that is owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

called also co-op

compare condominium sense 1