from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Collective \Col*lect"ive\, a. [L. collectivus: cf. F.
collectif.]
1. Formed by gathering or collecting; gathered into a mass,
sum, or body; congregated or aggregated; as, the
{collective} body of a nation. --Bp. Hoadley.
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2. Deducing consequences; reasoning; inferring. [Obs.]
"Critical and collective reason." --Sir T. Browne.
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3. (Gram.) Expressing a collection or aggregate of
individuals, by a singular form; as, a collective name or
noun, like assembly, army, jury, etc.
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4. Tending to collect; forming a collection.
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Local is his throne . . . to fix a point,
A central point, collective of his sons. --Young.
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5. Having plurality of origin or authority; as, in diplomacy,
a note signed by the representatives of several
governments is called a collective note.
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{Collective fruit} (Bot.), that which is formed from a mass
of flowers, as the mulberry, pineapple, and the like; --
called also {multiple fruit}. --Gray.
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