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 largest deal amounted to $40 billion, with Nvidia, Microsoft, BlackRock and Elon Musk’s xAI forming part of a consortium of investors to buy Aligned Data Centers. —April Roach, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026

The city also notified a number of government agencies along with the Kumeyaay Cultural Repatriation Committee, a consortium of tribes that includes the San Pasqual, city records show. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

The research consortium consists of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) and specialty electrolyte manufacturer IoLiTec. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026

Swiss industrial engineering and manufacturing firm Sulzer has endorsed Spinnova’s consortium, which the Finnish firm established to advance the adoption of its fiber technology across the industry. —Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 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