cooperative

Or co-op·er·a·tive

[koh-op-er-uh-tiv, -op-ruh-tiv, -op-uh-rey-tiv]

adjective

1. working or acting together willingly for a common purpose or benefit.

2. demonstrating a willingness to cooperate.

   The librarian was cooperative in helping us find the book.

3. pertaining to economic cooperation.

   a cooperative business.

4. involving or denoting an educational program comprising both classroom study and on-the-job or technical training, especially in colleges and universities.

noun

1. a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.

2. Also called co-op. Also called cooperative apartment. 

   1. a building owned and managed by a corporation in which shares are sold, entitling the shareholders to occupy individual units in the building.

   2. an apartment in such a building.

cooperative

/ kəʊˈɒpərətɪv, -ˈɒprə- /

adjective

1. willing to cooperate; helpful

2. acting in conjunction with others; cooperating

3. 1. (of an enterprise, farm, etc) owned collectively and managed for joint economic benefit

   2. (of an economy or economic activity) based on collective ownership and cooperative use of the means of production and distribution

noun

1. a cooperative organization

2. Sometimes shortened to: coop. Also called: cooperative apartment. a block of flats belonging to a corporation in which shares are owned in proportion to the relative value of the flat occupied Compare condominium

Other Word Forms

• cooperativeness noun
• cooperatively adverb
• co-operatively adverb
• co-operativeness noun
• uncooperative adjective
• uncooperatively adverb
• uncooperativeness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cooperative¹

From the Late Latin word cooperātīvus, dating back to 1595–1605. See cooperate, -ive

Example Sentences

The cooperative spirit collapsed as Page set St. Louis County on the aggressive end of Missouri’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, issuing early emergency orders limiting gatherings and indoor dining.

From Salon

The cooperative will instead “focus its resources” on a more profitable plant in Renville, Minn., the company said in a release earlier this year.

From Los Angeles Times

The Riverside County district attorney’s office said UPS was cooperative and quick to improve upon the practices discussed in the suit.

From Los Angeles Times

He said he has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years and has never had a more cooperative partner in the local U.S. attorney’s office than Essayli.

From Los Angeles Times

According to a civil complaint filed by the company, he replied saying he wanted to “maintain a cooperative spirit” and had already “voluntarily deactivated all the software… as a gesture of goodwill.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• collegial 
• concerted 
• coordinated www.thesaurus.com
• harmonious 
• interdependent 
• reciprocal 
• symbiotic 
• united