Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Corporate has 7 different meanings across 1 category:
A bond issued by a corporation.
"The company decided to issue corporate bonds to raise capital for their new factory expansion."
In plain English: A corporate is an adjective describing something related to a large business company, not a noun.
"The new corporate was hired to manage the company's finances."
Usage: Although often used as an adjective to describe business-related matters, corporate can function as a countable noun in finance to refer specifically to a bond issued by a corporation. Use this form only when discussing securities or financial instruments, not general business practices.
To incorporate.
"The lawyer advised them to corporate their business under a new holding company structure."
In plain English: To corporate is to work together as a group toward a common goal.
"The board decided to corporate by merging with their main competitor."
Usage: There is no common everyday usage of "corporate" as a verb; it is an adjective or noun describing business entities. Do not use it to mean "to incorporate," which requires the separate verb form "incorporate."
done by or characteristic of individuals acting together
"a joint identity"
"the collective mind"
"the corporate good"
organized and maintained as a legal corporation
"a special agency set up in corporate form"
"an incorporated town"
Of or relating to a corporation.
"The new corporate headquarters will open its doors next month in downtown Chicago."
In plain English: Corporate describes something that belongs to or is run by a large business company.
"The corporate headquarters moved to a new building downtown."
Usage: Use "corporate" to describe anything related to a business organization or its structure, such as corporate policy or a corporate event. Avoid using it to mean "grouped together" in general contexts, where collective or grouped might be more appropriate.
The word "corporate" entered English in the 15th century as an adjective meaning physical or embodied, derived from the Latin corporatus, which literally means "made into a body." Its modern sense of belonging to a legal organization emerged later in the 19th century when the term was applied to groups incorporated as single entities.