NYT Dictionary

COLLECTIVE

/kəˈlɛktɪv/
AdjectiveNouncol-LEC-tivecol-lec-tive · 3 syllablesGrade 5

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2022, 2024

Meaning

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

Etymology

Origin: Latin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin legō Latin colligō Latin collēctus Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Latin collēctīvusder. Middle French collectifder. English collective 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.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

congregatedaggregatedcorporateabstractaccompanyingagreeingassociatedblandbroadcoadjutant

Antonyms

distributive

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle, including a pangram:

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