corporate

adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rət 

1

a

: formed into an association and endowed by law with the rights and liabilities of an individual : incorporated

b

: of or relating to a corporation

a plan to reorganize the corporate structure

c

: of, relating to, or being the large corporations of a country or region considered as a unit

the latest trend in corporate America

d

: having qualities (such as commercialism or lack of originality) associated with large corporations or attributed to their influence or control

corporate rock music

corporate art

2

: of, relating to, or formed into a unified body of individuals

Human law arises by the corporate action of a people …

—George H. Sabine

3

: corporative sense 2

corporately adverb

Synonyms

• commercial
• marketable
• mass-market
• salable
• saleable

Examples of corporate in a Sentence

We have to change the corporate structure to survive.

A bunch of corporate types in suits were sitting at the table in the conference room.

He is one of the most powerful men in corporate America.

The business is a corporate entity.

Recent Examples on the Web

For now, corporate leaders who embrace Gen Z’s maverick nature can gain a competitive advantage by seeing the white space others more accepting of today’s norms will miss. —Marcie Merriman, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024

Banks spent the last eight years at WME/Endeavor working on the corporate operational side of the business, overseeing special projects and managing the integration of acquisitions. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, have hired former United Talent Agency corporate communications manager Kyle Boulia in their press office. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024

That, in turn, boosts corporate profits, production, output and the overall economy. —Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024

When Barb and Bud head inside, Cooper implants a listening device into Barb’s Pip-Boy and later spies on their meeting with other corporate figureheads and hears about their scheme for world domination. —Kayla Keegan, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024

Arctic, which has been benefiting from growing demand for Nordic high-yield corporate bonds, seeks to capitalize on the trend by moving closer to clients in the region, Kjetil Bakken, head of group strategy, said in an interview in Oslo. —Ott Ummelas, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024

Meta and Apple have long had an uneasy corporate relationship. —Mike Isaac, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024

But since then, Big Ag has fought back, and by some measures the problems caused by corporate consolidation have only gotten worse. —Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin corporātus, past participle of corporāre "to form into a body, form (an organized social group)," verbal derivative of corpor-, corpus "body, organized group of people" — more at midriff

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing corporate

• anti-corporate
• body corporate
• corporate conglomeration
• corporate ladder
• corporate welfare
• corporate-wide
• inter-corporate

Kids Definition

corporate

adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rət 

1

a

: formed into a corporation

b

: of, relating to, or being a corporation

take corporate action

2

: of, relating to, or being a whole composed of individuals

united together and took corporate action

corporately adverb

Legal Definition

corporate

1 of 2 adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-pə-rət 

: of or relating to a business corporation

corporate

2 of 2 noun

: a bond issued by a business corporation