Corporation
ˌkɔːrpəˈreɪʃən
Definitions
2 meaningsA legal entity, separate and distinct from its owners, that can enter into contracts, own property, sue, and be sued.
ˌkɔːrpəˈreɪʃən
A company or group authorized to act as a single entity and recognized as such in law.
Microsoft is a multinational corporation.
💡 Simply: Imagine a big company like the toy store. A corporation is the name they use, like a legal identity, so it can do stuff like buy buildings or hire people – and protect the owners of the company too!
👶 For kids: It's like a team of people who work together to make things or provide services. It's special because the team is like one big person in the eyes of the law!
More Examples
The corporation faced criticism over its environmental practices.
Shareholders own stock in the corporation.
The corporation’s headquarters are located in New York City.
How It's Used
"The corporation announced record profits for the fiscal year."
"The legal structure of a corporation protects its owners from personal liability."
A collection or group of people who are united and act as a single body.
ˌkɔːrpəˈreɪʃən
A group of people authorized to act as a single entity.
The corporation of volunteers organized the community clean-up.
💡 Simply: Think of it like a club or a team. When a group of people decide to work together toward a goal, you can describe them as a corporation
👶 For kids: It's like a group of friends or people who get together to do things, and they're all working as a team.
More Examples
The historical corporation played a key role in city governance.
The corporation of experts provided guidance on the project.
How It's Used
"The corporation of citizens was vital for the new state's development."
"The charter established the corporation, giving it specific powers."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
corporate ladder
A series of increasingly important jobs or positions that someone can move through in a company.
"He's climbing the corporate ladder, hoping to become a CEO one day."
From Latin *corporatio* ('a making into a body, incorporation'), from *corporare* ('to form into a body'), from *corpus* ('body'). The term evolved to describe entities created for legal and business purposes.
The term has been used since the early 15th century to describe a group of people united in a body, but its usage in a business context became widespread during the industrial revolution.
Memory tip
Think of a body (corpus) working together as one. A corporation is like that body.
Word Origin
"to form into a body"