collegial

adjective

col·​le·​gial kə-ˈlē-j(ē-)əl 

 especially for sense 2a also  -ˈlē-gē-əl

1

: collegiate sense 2

2

a

: marked by power or authority vested equally in each of a number of colleagues

There was an increasing tendency to turn from collegial to one-man management.

—Merle Fainsod

b

: characterized by equal sharing of authority especially by Roman Catholic bishops

a collegial church

3

: marked by camaraderie among colleagues

collegial relationships among faculty members

collegially adverb

Synonyms

• amicable
• bonhomous
• buddy-buddy
• chummy
• companionable
• comradely
• cordial
• friendly
• genial
• hail-fellow
• hail-fellow-well-met
• hearty
• matey [chiefly British]
• neighborly
• palsy
• palsy-walsy [slang]
• warm
• warmhearted

Examples of collegial in a Sentence

company luncheons that are designed to instill a collegial spirit among coworkers

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to collegial colleagues, the Bank of Canada offers a range of opportunities to its employees, including exposure to industry leaders. —Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

Zoom in: While some CEOs pride themselves on being collegial consensus-builders, many more like to think of themselves as daring iconoclasts, leading from the front into uncharted opportunity. —Felix Salmon, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025

The process of give and take is important in a collegial environment. —IEEE Spectrum, 11 Oct. 2024

At the time, the comedian’s admonition was notable for its acidity during what is typically a collegial ceremony. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see college

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1