consortia

con·sor·ti·um   (kən-sôr'tē-əm, -shē-əm)    n.   pl. con·sor·ti·a (-tē-ə, -shē-ə) An association or a combination, as of businesses, financial institutions, or investors, for the purpose of engaging in a joint venture. A cooperative arrangement among groups or institutions: a library consortium. An association or society. Law The right of a spouse to the company of, help of, affection of, and sexual relations with his or her mate. [Latin, fellowship, from cōnsors, cōnsort-, partner; see consort.] con·sor'ti·al adj.

consortium

A group of organizations that participate in a joint venture. Airbus Industrie, a European airplane manufacturer, is a consortium of four public and private corporations in Britain, France, Spain, and Germany.

Main Entry: con·sor·tium
Pronunciation: k&n-'sor-sh&m; -shE-&m
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -sor·tia /-sh&, -shE-&/ also -sortiums
Etymology: Latin, sharing, partnership, from consort- consors sharer, partner
1 : an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member
2Etymology: 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 consortium> —compare SOCIETY