corporate
Noun pluralcorporates (some meanings)
Pluralcorporates (some meanings)
Formscorporates, corporating, corporated
- 1Belonging to or having to do with a business company, especially a large one.
She works in corporate law at a big firm.
The company changed its corporate logo last year.
UsageUsually put before a noun: corporate law, corporate office.
Similarbusiness, commercial, organizational
- 2The main office and top bosses of a company, who make the big decisions for its stores or branches.
Like the head office that the whole company has to listen to.
Corporate told us to cut spending this quarter.
Nobody on the floor liked the new rule from corporate.
UsageSay it with no the: corporate said no. It can sound unhappy, so keep it out of reports.
Note
- 3A company or group of companies run as one business, especially a large one.
Several big corporates moved their offices into the new district.
My cousin left a big corporate to work at a small startup.
UsageYou can say a corporate and corporates: big corporates.
Similarcompany, corporation, firm, business, conglomerate
Note
- 4Made into one official body, such as a company, college or town, that the law treats as a single unit.
The town became a corporate body in 1850.
Their group is now a corporate entity under state law.
UsageOften in corporate body, or in law body corporate.
Similarincorporated
Oppositeunincorporated
Note
Less common meanings
- 5Dull and lifeless, like a safe, polished design made by a big company.
Like a hotel room that looks exactly the same in every city.
The new cafe felt cold and corporate, with no personality at all.
He hated the corporate look of the rebranded posters.
UsageUsed to complain, often as feels so corporate or sounds corporate.
Similarbland, soulless, sanitized, generic, slick
Oppositeauthentic, quirky, distinctive
- 6Joined into one group, or shared, owned, or done by the group as a whole.
Like many hands lifting one heavy log together.
The church holds corporate worship every Sunday, when everyone prays together.
On Sunday the whole church joined in corporate prayer.
Similarcollective, joint, communal, shared, common
Oppositeindividual
Note
- 7To join separate parts or people into one group, or to join together to become one.
This hospital of Savoy was again new founded, erected, corporated , and endowed with lands by Queen Mary
1598, John Stow, A Survey of LondonHere, corporated means joined together into one official body.Note
- 8A bond sold by a company to borrow money, which the company pays back with interest.
- 9A short video a company makes for its own staff, often for training.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
It comes from Latin corpus, meaning "body," through a Latin word for "to make into a body." The adjective came first (around 1429), and the noun was made from it later.
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- Corporate ultimately comes from Latin corpus, meaning “body.” en.wiktionary.org
- The derivation passes through a Latin verb meaning “to make into a body.” en.wiktionary.org
- The adjective is recorded around 1429, before the noun. en.wiktionary.org
- The noun was later formed from the adjective. en.wiktionary.org
First seen around 1398, this verb means "to form into a body or a legal corporation." It comes from Latin corporātus, "made into a body," and is related to Etymology 1.
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 5 facts
- The verb is first recorded around 1398. en.wiktionary.org
- The verb means to form into a body or a legal corporation. quod.lib.umich.edu
- The verb derives from Latin corporātus. quod.lib.umich.edu
- Latin corporātus means made into a body. en.wiktionary.org
- The verb is related to the adjective and noun under Etymology 1. en.wiktionary.org