adjective
collegiate
Organized as a group of colleagues sharing authority.
The council uses a collegiate structure, with authority shared among colleagues.
Etymology
Latin collegium named a body of colleagues. Collegiate in this use preserves the corporate arrangement, describing authority exercised by a group of colleagues rather than vested in one individual.
More examples
- Under the collegiate system, no single director controls the organization.
- The partners favor collegiate leadership over control by one person.
- A collegiate executive makes major decisions jointly.
Similar words
- collegial
- Often emphasizes cooperative relationships rather than a formal governing structure.
- collective
- Emphasizes action by a group, not necessarily shared governing authority.