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

China, meanwhile, has mounted several robotic moon missions and a Mars mission in recent years, and both China and NASA are aiming to land astronauts on the moon again before 2030, via different international consortiums. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Nov. 2025

The announcement implies that the different sites are being developed by varying sets of partners within the consortium. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025

The Financial Times, which first reported the DMGT deal, said the price had been set at about 500 million pounds to repay the money spent by the RedBird-fronted consortium. —Reuters, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025

That same year, a consortium of local residents, conservation groups and politicians successfully lobbied for a federal bill, signed by Richard Nixon, to establish the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025

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