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

Due to be rolled out in phases over the next five years, the consortium has said the cable would target hyperscalers, international carriers, and AI applications. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026

The New Development Bank, which is seeded by China, India, and Russia along with other countries in the BRICS consortium, is mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging markets and developing countries. — Eghosa E. Osaghae, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026

The consortium, which includes Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR, will serve companies from frontier labs to hyperscalers, Nvidia said. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Aug. 2026

The pair are part of a consortium that is set to buy a stake in 20-time English league winners Liverpool, according to a report from Sky News. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Aug. 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