collective meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

collective

adj

/kəˈlɛktɪv/

Etymology From Middle French collectif, from Latin collēctīvus, from collēctus, past participle of colligō (“to collect”), from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”). Compare French collectif. Doublet of colectivo.

Formed by gathering or collecting; gathered into a mass, sum, or body.

the collective body of a nation

Tending to collect; forming a collection.

Local is his throne […] to fix a point, / A central point, collective of his sons.1743, [Edward Young], “Night the Fourth. The Christian Triumph.”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […]; [a]nd sold by M[ary] Cooper, […], →OCLC, page 18:

Having plurality of origin or authority.

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Expressing a collection or aggregate of individuals, by a singular form.

Obsolete Deducing consequences; reasoning; inferring.

critical and collective reason1642, [Thomas Browne], “(please specify the page)”, in Religio Medici, London: […] Andrew Crooke, →OCLC:

Derived terms: 29 terms
anticollective, collective action, collective agreement, collective bargaining, collective-bargaining agreement, collective buying, collective call sign, collective fruit, collective investment scheme, collectively, collective memory, collective mode, collectiveness, collective note, collective noun, collective number, collective numeral, collective punishment, collective security, collective species, collective study, collective title, collective unconscious, collective West, collectivism, collectivist, collectivization, hypercollective, noncollective
Related terms: collect, collectible, collection, collectivity, collector

collective

noun

A farm owned by a collection of people.

Especially, In communist countries One of more farms managed and owned, through the state, by the community.

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A collective noun or name.

Broadly A group dedicated to a particular cause or interest.

There are, however, a number of contemporary artists and art collectives that have defined their practice precisely around the facilitation of dialogue among diverse communities.2005, Zoya Kocur, Simon Leung, Theory in contemporary art since 1985, page 76:
Critical Art Ensemble is one of many art collectives operating on the principle that information is power and that it is most effectively made available through a combination of science and aesthetics.2006 March 5, Holland Cotter, “The Collective Conscious”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

1 more example

Today’s collectives create together, tour together, exhibit together, live together, survive together, eat together, sleep together, march together, fight together and party together, too.2021 October 13, Adam Bradley, “The Creative Collectives Finding Strength in Numbers”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

The flight control used to control a helicopter's ascent or descent.

A pilot normally holds the collective stationary until the helicopter stops; however, to get more braking action, lower the collective slightly. Keep in mind that, due to the increased ground friction when the collective is lowered or[…]2012, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Helicopter Flying Handbook: FAA-H-8083-21A, Ravenio Books:
Hover height, rate of ascent, and the rate of descent are controlled by using the collective. Helicopter position and the direction of travel are controlled by the cyclic.2021 July 27, Federal Aviation Administration, Helicopter Flying Handbook: FAA-H-8083-21B, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

Derived terms: collective noun, collectivize, thought collective