colleague
noun
col·league
ˈkä-(ˌ)lēg 
: an associate or coworker in a workplace or profession and often of similar rank or status : a fellow worker or professional
… team-building exercises can also help colleagues understand one another …—
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Did you know?
Which of the following words come from the same source as colleague: college, legacy, collaborate, allegation, collar, relegate, delegate? It might be easier to guess if you know that the ancestor in question is legare, a Latin verb meaning "to choose or send as a deputy or emissary" or "to bequeath." All of the words in the list above except collaborate (which comes from the Latin collaborare, meaning "to labor together") and collar (from collum, collus, Latin for "neck") are descendants of legare.
Examples of colleague in a Sentence
Not since Cronkite's CBS mentor and colleague Edward R. Murrow lifted Senator Joe McCarthy by the skunk tail for public inspection had one TV broadcast reflected such a fateful climate change in public opinion.
—James Wolcott, Vanity Fair, June 2003
My colleague Gene Sperling and I were standing over my speakerphone, but for all Mario Cuomo knew we were on our knees.
—George Stephanopoulos, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 1999
Nineteenth-century naturalist Thomas Henry Huxley, a colleague of Charles Darwin, was the first to suggest that dinosaurs and birds were related.
—Laura Tangley, U.S. News & World Report, 6 July 1998
… it gets noticed no more than an hour later by another colleague of mine, whom I've never met personally but know to be an art historian …
—John Barth, Atlantic, March 1995
A colleague of mine will be speaking at the conference.
on her first day at work her colleagues went out of their way to make her feel welcome
James Wolcott, Vanity Fair, June 2003
My colleague Gene Sperling and I were standing over my speakerphone, but for all Mario Cuomo knew we were on our knees.
—George Stephanopoulos, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 1999
Nineteenth-century naturalist Thomas Henry Huxley, a colleague of Charles Darwin, was the first to suggest that dinosaurs and birds were related.
—Laura Tangley, U.S. News & World Report, 6 July 1998
… it gets noticed no more than an hour later by another colleague of mine, whom I've never met personally but know to be an art historian …
—John Barth, Atlantic, March 1995
A colleague of mine will be speaking at the conference.
on her first day at work her colleagues went out of their way to make her feel welcome
Recent Examples on the Web
Lamberth was ruling on a lawsuit filed by Patsy Widakuswara, Voice of America’s White House bureau chief, and colleagues Kate Neeper and Jessica Jerreat.
—David Bauder, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
For example, the size of Little Foot’s eye sockets may have been due to changes in visual acuity or the environment — and linked with an extended visual area in her brain, something identified during previous research by Beaudet and her colleagues.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
For decades, fans, editors, and her Hollywood colleagues have gushed about how uniquely captivating her scent is, including fellow stars like Lil Nas X, Jennifer Lawrence, and Cardi B (and yes, Rihanna herself has posted the evidence).
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 7 Mar. 2026
Keller and colleagues felt good about the prospects that their reservoirs — essentially full partners with Lake Mead in slaking Phoenix’s thirst — would come through with plenty to spare.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colleague
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David Bauder, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
For example, the size of Little Foot’s eye sockets may have been due to changes in visual acuity or the environment — and linked with an extended visual area in her brain, something identified during previous research by Beaudet and her colleagues.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
For decades, fans, editors, and her Hollywood colleagues have gushed about how uniquely captivating her scent is, including fellow stars like Lil Nas X, Jennifer Lawrence, and Cardi B (and yes, Rihanna herself has posted the evidence).
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 7 Mar. 2026
Keller and colleagues felt good about the prospects that their reservoirs — essentially full partners with Lake Mead in slaking Phoenix’s thirst — would come through with plenty to spare.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colleague
Cite this Entry
“Colleague.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colleague. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colleague
noun
col·league
ˈkäl-ˌēg
: an associate in a profession or office
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