3 syllables: col, lec, tive. Stress on lec.
kuh-LEK-tiv
/kəˈlɛktɪv/
collective is pronounced kuh-LEK-tiv (/kəˈlɛktɪv/). It has three syllables (col-lec-tive), with the stress on "lec". Collective describes a group acting as one entity or as a whole. It is used to refer to something shared or common to all members of a group, such as collective effort or collective opinion. The term emphasizes unity and joint action, rather than individual or isolated actions.
Collective describes a group acting as one entity or as a whole. It is used to refer to something shared or common to all members of a group, such as collective effort or collective opinion. The term emphasizes unity and joint action, rather than individual or isolated actions.
"The collective decision was made after hours of discussion among the team."
"A collective voice emerged from the community to advocate for change."
"They joined a collective to pool resources for the project."
Say /kəˈlɛk.tɪv/ (US) or /kəˈlek.tɪv/ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the second syllable. Start with a short schwa in the first syllable, then a clear /l/ + /ɛ/ vowel, a crisp /k/ + /t/ cluster, and finish with /ɪv/. Think: kuh-LEK-tiv. For audio reference, compare to standard American English pronunciations in pronunciation tools and dictionaries.
Common errors: (1) Reducing /lɛk/ to a quick, unclear ‘lek’ without the crisp stop; (2) misplacing stress as /kəˈlɛk.lɪv/ or the second syllable as /ləˈkɛtɪv/; (3) softening the /t/ into a flap or losing the /v/ at the end. Correction: maintain the clear /t/ before the final /ɪv/ and keep the /e/ as /ɛ/ in the second syllable. Emphasize the /ˈlɛk/ cluster and avoid vowel reduction in the stressed syllable. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the timing.
In US English, the second syllable carries primary stress with /ˈlɛk/ and a clear /t/ before /ɪv/. UK/AU often preserve /kəˈlek.tɪv/ with a slightly rounded /ɜ/ in some speakers if rhoticity influences vowel quality; rhotic accents still voice /r/? Not applicable here. The main difference is vowel quality: US /ɛ/ is a flat e, UK/AU may have a slightly lower or tenser /e/; rhythm remains trochaic but the vowel in the second syllable can be marginally tenser in some British speech. Overall, the stress pattern and consonant cluster remain consistent across accents.
Three challenges: (1) The /ˈlɛk/ cluster requires a crisp, forceful release between /l/ and /k/; avoid blending into /lɛk/ without audible /k/. (2) Final /tɪv/ ends with /v/, which many non-native speakers bilabial-voice or omit; ensure voicing and spacing, especially before a following pause. (3) The initial schwa can be overpronounced or underpronounced; aim for a quick, relaxed /kə/ before the stressed /ˈlɛk/. Focus on accurate tongue tip positioning for /t/ and a relaxed jaw for /ə/.
Yes. The pronunciation shares the root prefix 'col-' with 'collect' and ‘collective’ shares the same vowel height on the stressed syllable. The 'collect' portion provides the /-lek-/ sound; the suffix /-tɪv/ adds the final vowel-consonant sequence. For learners, the two words differ primarily by ending: 'collect' ends with /-ekt/ while 'collective' ends with /-ɪv/. Understanding this helps anchor both articulation points and helps memorize the word’s stress shift in -ive adjectives.
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Collective comes from the Latin collectus, past participle of colligere, meaning ‘to gather together’. The root col- (together) combines with legere (to gather, collect). In Latin, collectus meant ‘gathered’ or ‘collected’; in ecclesiastical usage, ‘collect’ referred to a short prayer gathering the faithful, reflecting the sense of bringing together in a single moment. In English, collective appeared in the 17th century to describe things done by a group, then broadened to nouns and adjectives referring to groups acting as a unit (collective noun, collective action). By the 19th and 20th centuries, ‘collective’ carried social and political connotations (collective bargaining, collective responsibility). The word’s core semantic shift centers on unification and jointness, contrasting with individual actions. The development mirrors the rise of collective institutions and social movements that emphasize shared goals over individual pursuits, with usage expanding into sociology, politics, and business. First known use in English dates to the early 1600s, with early uses tied to “collected” or “gathered” things, before adopting the more abstract sense of group-based action and identity. Increasingly common in modern discourse, collective is used as a modifier and noun to highlight unity of purpose across diverse contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "collective" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "collective" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "collective"
-ive sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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