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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

collective

/kəˈlɛktɪv/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does collective mean?

adjective

  1. Formed by gathering or collecting; gathered into a mass, sum, or body.
  2. Tending to collect; forming a collection.
  3. Having plurality of origin or authority.
More meanings (7)

adjective

  1. Expressing a collection or aggregate of individuals, by a singular form.
  2. (obsolete) Deducing consequences; reasoning; inferring.

noun

  1. A farm owned by a collection of people.
  2. One of more farms managed and owned, through the state, by the community.
  3. A collective noun or name.
  4. A group dedicated to a particular cause or interest.
  5. The flight control used to control a helicopter's ascent or descent.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/kəˈlɛktɪv/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

In some instances, as has been shown, the powers of the new government will act on the States in their collective characters.
Alexander Hamilton; John Jay; James MadisonThe Federalist PapersProject Gutenberg ebook #18
Every effort of thinking and laboring humanity, every individual and social speculation, as an integrant part of collective wealth, obeys this law.
P.-J. (Pierre-Joseph) ProudhonSystem of Economical Contradictions; Or, The Philosophy of MiseryProject Gutenberg ebook #444
More book examples (3)
By replacing individual initiative and responsibility by collective initiative and responsibility mankind would descend several steps on the scale of human values.
Gustave Le BonThe Psychology of RevolutionProject Gutenberg ebook #448
But this, you may object, is no more than saying that God is the collective mind and purpose of the human race.
H. G. (Herbert George) WellsGod, the Invisible KingProject Gutenberg ebook #1046
It is obvious that this cool and careless quality which is essential to the collective affection of males involves disadvantages and dangers.
G. K. (Gilbert Keith) ChestertonWhat's Wrong with the WorldProject Gutenberg ebook #1717