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

Alongside its plans in Central Europe, Rolls-Royce SMR is working with Great British Energy – Nuclear on initial UK projects in North Wales, while Sweden’s Videberg Kraft has selected the consortium to supply three units on the Swedish coast. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Fox News Washington bureau chief Bryan Boughton, acting chair of the television pool consortium, wrote that the five networks that typically share those duties — ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC — would cease coverage until the ban was lifted. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

Beatty filed one of the suits and a consortium of architects and preservationists filed the other. — E. Andrew Taylor, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

More than a dozen students from a consortium of historically Black colleges and universities also visited the museum on Wednesday, eager to learn from its exhibits. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 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