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

The recent holiday strike marks the first work stoppage of 2024, since the union had pivoted toward a more cooperative approach amid negotiations, Kallas said. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Dec. 2024

Meantime, Holy Cross Energy in western Colorado gives its cooperative members a monthly bill credit to use their battery storage devices. —Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Noun

All throughout the year, Sardinian villagers work together in cooperatives, tending their vineyards and olive orchards and raising pigs for ham and salami. —Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024

At the heart of the outcry was Income Insurance’s role in Singaporean society and its roots as a cooperative. —Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 17 Dec. 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