consortium

noun

con·​sor·​tium kən-ˈsȯr-sh(ē-)əm 

-ˈsȯr-tē-əm

plural consortia kən-ˈsȯr-sh(ē-)ə 

-ˈsȯr-tē-ə

also consortiums

1

: an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member

A consortium of researchers decoded the honeybee genome.

2

: association, society

3

: the legal right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of and to sexual relations with the other

Synonyms

• association
• board
• brotherhood
• chamber
• club
• college
• congress
• council
• fellowship
• fraternity
• guild
• gild
• institute
• institution
• league
• order
• organization
• society
• sodality

Examples of consortium in a Sentence

A Japanese consortium invested millions in the technology.

a consortium for the prevention of animal cruelty

Recent Examples on the Web

The most recent was a review paper from an international consortium published last month. —Laurie Winkless, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Following the 29 million pound sale in 2021 to a consortium of investors, including its second-largest shareholder Apinder Singh Ghura, Amarjit Singh Grewal, as well as holding company KJR Brothers Ltd., French Connection is gradually turning around its loss-making business. —Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024

All dishes use ingredients sourced in the nearby Roman countryside, while the wine list was hand-selected by the hotel owner, Elia Federici, chairman of the hospitality consortium Gruppo Fresia. —Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2024

Way back in 2004, TPG was part of a consortium with Sony and Comcast to acquire MGM. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fellowship, from consort-, consors — see consort entry 1

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

consortium

noun

con·​sor·​tium kən-ˈsȯr-shəm; -shē-əm 

plural consortia -shə, -shē-ə  also consortiums

1

: an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member

2

[Medieval Latin, marital partnership, from Latin] : the right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of and to sexual relations with the other

also : the right of a parent or child to the company, affection, and assistance of the other

suing for loss of consortium

compare society

Etymology

Latin, sharing, partnership, from consort-, consors sharer, partner