Colleague: Definition, Pronunciation, and Examples

Meaning 1：coworker (colleague)

colleague 🔊

/ˈkɑːliːɡ/

A person you work with in the same organization or on the same project.

Two colleagues discussing work at a modern office table

coworker 🔊

➕

/ˈkoʊˌwɜːrkər/

A person you work with in the same organization or on the same project, often implying a peer relationship.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Latin 'collega' (partner in office) from 'com-' (together) + 'legare' (to depute).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'col' (together) + 'league' (group) – a colleague is someone in your group.

📖 Example

My colleague in the history department suggested this excellent book for our class. 🔊 My colleague in the history department suggested this excellent book for our class.

🔗 Collocations

close colleague – A colleague with whom you have a strong working relationship and personal trust.

former colleague – A colleague who used to work with you but no longer does.

work colleague – A colleague you work with regularly in the same workplace.

🔄 Synonyms

coworker (n.) – A person with whom one works, typically in a similar role or at the same level.

associate (n.) – A person you work with, often in a professional or business context, sometimes implying a lower rank.

teammate (n.) – A member of the same team or project, emphasizing collaborative effort.

🚫 Antonyms

rival (n.) – A person competing for the same position or recognition in the workplace.

stranger (n.) – A person you do not know, contrasting with a colleague you interact with regularly.

opponent (n.) – A person you are in direct competition or conflict with, unlike a colleague who typically cooperates.

🌱 Derivatives

colleagueship (n.) – The state or relationship of being a colleague.

collegial (adj.) – Characteristic of colleagues; cooperative and mutually respectful.

collegiality (n.) – The quality of being collegial; cooperative interaction among colleagues.

📖 Cultural Story

In ancient Rome, 'collega' referred to a co-holder of a magistracy, emphasizing equal rank. Today, it broadly means a work peer in any field.