col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv 
1
: denoting a number of persons or things considered as one group or whole
flock is a collective word
2
a
: formed by collecting : aggregated
b
of a fruit
: multiple
3
a
: of, relating to, or being a group of individuals
b
: involving all members of a group as distinct from its individuals
a collective action
4
: marked by similarity among or with the members of a group
the collective interests of the town
5
: collectivized or characterized by collectivism
collective farming
collective communities
6
: shared or assumed by all members of the group
collective responsibility
the collective opinion of the staff
collective guilt
collectively
adverb
1
: a collective body : group
a social collective
2
: a cooperative unit or organization
specifically
: collective farm
3
: a helicopter control system governing lift
Synonyms
Examples of collective in a Sentence
Adjective
We made a collective decision to go on strike.
The incident became part of our collective memory.
the collective wisdom of generations
Recent Examples on the Web
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
That’s the role Santa, who loves children but (according to some versions of the legend) is childless himself, plays in the pop-culture collective psyche, which makes Asner’s Santa really click.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Karri Peifer, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
No Other Land, another strong Oscar contender by a collective of Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, features two of its directors on camera — Palestinian Basel Adra and his friend, Israeli Yuval Abraham.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collective 
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Adjective
The busy news cycle will quickly move on from Insurance-Fraud Bear, and soon this whole ordeal will fade from our collective memory, much like the many silly bear stories of yesteryear.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
That’s the role Santa, who loves children but (according to some versions of the legend) is childless himself, plays in the pop-culture collective psyche, which makes Asner’s Santa really click.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Noun
The cart drop came just as Chesterfield — the area's largest county — dropped out of the regional recycling collective altogether.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
No Other Land, another strong Oscar contender by a collective of Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, features two of its directors on camera — Palestinian Basel Adra and his friend, Israeli Yuval Abraham.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collective
Dictionary Entries Near collective
Cite this Entry
“Collective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collective. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
collective
1 of 2 adjective
col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv
1
: having to do with a number of persons or things considered as one group
"flock" is a collective noun
2
: formed by collecting
3
: of, relating to, or involving all members of a group
the collective feelings of the team
collective legal action
4
: shared or done by a number of persons as a group
a collective effort
collectively
adverb
collective
2 of 2 noun1
: a collective body : group
2
: a cooperative unit or organization
Legal Definition
collective
adjective
col·lec·tive
kə-ˈlek-tiv
: involving all members of a group as distinct from individual members
collectively
adverb
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