Words / B2

k-uh-LEKT-iv/kəˈlektɪv/

Collective means done or shared by a group: collective responsibility, a collective decision. Shared and joint are everyday cousins; individual is the opposite. A collective can also be a noun for a group that owns something together. Collect is the verb for gathering things — related root, different use. In speech, as a group is enough. Do not write collective when you only mean several people happened to agree separately.

Meaning

Done or shared by a group as a whole, not by one person.

Examples

• “The team took collective responsibility for the error.”
• “The department issued a collective apology, not one signed by a single tutor.”
• “Collective bargaining is the union talking as a body, not as fifty separate emails.”

Good to know

Shared by the group. Everyday: as a group / joint. Opposite: individual. Verb collect = gather things (different use).

Near in meaning

joint

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