consortium

noun

con·​sor·​tium kən-ˈsȯr-sh(ē-)əm 

-ˈsȯr-tē-əm

plural consortia kən-ˈsȯr-sh(ē-)ə 

-ˈsȯr-tē-ə

also consortiums

1

: an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member

A consortium of researchers decoded the honeybee genome.

2

: association, society

3

: the legal right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of and to sexual relations with the other

Synonyms of consortium

• organization
• institute
• association
• institution
• society
• chamber
• fraternity
• group
• council
• board

Examples of consortium in a Sentence

A Japanese consortium invested millions in the technology.

a consortium for the prevention of animal cruelty

Recent Examples on the Web

The Spurs’ leadership was also fragmented, after longtime owner Red McCombs had sold the team for $75 million the same year to a consortium of more than two dozen local investors and corporate entities in an effort to keep the Spurs in the city in the near term. —Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Oakland Acquisition Company, a consortium led by Ray Bobbitt and his African American Sports and Entertainment Group with financial backing from the Loop Capital investment banking firm, is the lynchpin of the negotiations. —Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 12 June 2026

Anyone contemplating suicide or struggling with their mental health should call 9-8-8, the state’s crisis center consortium. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026

The fund has stakes in Denver Summit FC, the National Women’s Soccer League expansion team that debuted this season, and League One Volleyball (LOVB), a consortium of youth volleyball clubs that launched a professional league and recently completed its second season. —Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, fellowship, from consort-, consors — see consort entry 1

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

consortium

noun

con·​sor·​tium kən-ˈsȯr-shəm; -shē-əm 

plural consortia -shə, -shē-ə  also consortiums

1

: an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member

2

[Medieval Latin, marital partnership, from Latin] : the right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of and to sexual relations with the other

also : the right of a parent or child to the company, affection, and assistance of the other

suing for loss of consortium

compare society

Etymology

Latin, sharing, partnership, from consort-, consors sharer, partner