cooperative

1 of 2

adjective

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv 

-ˈä-pə-ˌrā-

1

a

: marked by cooperation

cooperative efforts

b

: marked by a willingness and ability to work with others

cooperative neighbors

2

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

a cooperative store

3

: relating to or comprising a program of combined liberal arts and technical studies at different schools

cooperatively adverb

cooperativeness noun

cooperative

2 of 2

noun

: an enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

Synonyms of cooperative

Adjective

• collaborative
• collective
• joint
• combined
• mutual
• communal

Examples of cooperative in a Sentence

Adjective

The witness was very cooperative.

a cooperative space project undertaken by Russia and the U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Piper Unified School District left the cooperative last school year, according to the district. —Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026

Because students remain in the same classroom community for several years, the environment becomes more cooperative than competitive. —Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026

Noun

Following the assassination of President Kennedy, Onassis moved to New York to 1040 Fifth Avenue, one of Manhattan’s most prestigious cooperatives overlooking Central Park. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026

Beck — along with many other Minnesota farmers — prepays for most of his fertilizer from local cooperatives months ahead of growing season, so the war has not suddenly inflated his fertilizer costs. —Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see cooperate

Noun

see cooperate

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cooperative

• accommodative
• accumulative
• adjudicative
• administrative
• agglutinative
• ameliorative
• appreciative
• assimilative
• associative
• authoritative
• collaborative
• deliberative

Kids Definition

cooperative

1 of 2 adjective

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive kō-ˈäp-(ə-)rət-iv 

-ˈäp-ə-ˌrāt-

1

: willing to cooperate

cooperative neighbors

2

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

a cooperative store

cooperative apartments

cooperatively adverb

cooperativeness noun

cooperative

2 of 2 noun

: an association owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

Legal Definition

cooperative

1 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or organized as a cooperative

cooperative

2 of 2 noun

co·​op·​er·​a·​tive

: an enterprise or organization (as for banking and credit services or the ownership of residential property) that is owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services

called also co-op

compare condominium sense 1