corporate

adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rət 

1

a

: formed into an association and endowed by law with the rights and liabilities of an individual : incorporated

b

: of or relating to a corporation

a plan to reorganize the corporate structure

c

: of, relating to, or being the large corporations of a country or region considered as a unit

the latest trend in corporate America

d

: having qualities (such as commercialism or lack of originality) associated with large corporations or attributed to their influence or control

corporate rock music

corporate art

2

: of, relating to, or formed into a unified body of individuals

Human law arises by the corporate action of a people …

—George H. Sabine

3

: corporative sense 2

corporately adverb

Synonyms

• commercial
• marketable
• mass-market
• salable
• saleable

Examples of corporate in a Sentence

We have to change the corporate structure to survive.

A bunch of corporate types in suits were sitting at the table in the conference room.

He is one of the most powerful men in corporate America.

The business is a corporate entity.

Recent Examples on the Web

The authors point to President Xi Jinping’s more nationalist stance, as well as instances of Chinese corporate espionage and forced technology transfers that motivated changes in U.S. policy. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Asia, 4 July 2024

The study provided the criteria that have to be considered in order to submit a pledge, and listed 35 traceability and transparency key performance indicators (or KPIs) divided into two categories, depending on acting at a corporate level or on product and materials within the supply chain. —Andrea Onate, WWD, 3 July 2024

Americans are facing an affordability crisis at the hands of corporate titans. —Dick Durbin and Lina M. Khan, STAT, 2 July 2024

Because that would explain why qualified Black candidates are so routinely overlooked that corporate America undertook an entire system of diversity and equity training to recalibrate the hiring apparatus that too often equated Black people with the lowest-paying jobs. —Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin corporātus, past participle of corporāre "to form into a body, form (an organized social group)," verbal derivative of corpor-, corpus "body, organized group of people" — more at midriff

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing corporate

• anti-corporate
• body corporate
• corporate conglomeration
• corporate ladder
• corporate welfare
• corporate-wide
• inter-corporate

Kids Definition

corporate

adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-p(ə-)rət 

1

a

: formed into a corporation

b

: of, relating to, or being a corporation

take corporate action

2

: of, relating to, or being a whole composed of individuals

united together and took corporate action

corporately adverb

Legal Definition

corporate

1 of 2 adjective

cor·​po·​rate ˈkȯr-pə-rət 

: of or relating to a business corporation

corporate

2 of 2 noun

: a bond issued by a business corporation