colectivo

Colectivo is a Spanish noun and adjective that denotes a group or organization formed by people who act together around shared interests or goals. The term comes from the Latin collectus and has broad usage in social, political, and cultural contexts to emphasize joint action, shared ownership, or collective organization.

In everyday language, colectivo often refers to a group or association, such as a workers’ collective, a neighborhood organization, or a cultural or political collective. In Latin American usage, the word commonly describes cooperative or group-based initiatives, including worker-owned enterprises and activist or cultural groups.

In transportation, especially in Argentina and Uruguay, colectivo is the standard term for an urban bus, equivalent to what is called a bus in other regions. This meaning is distinct from its sociopolitical uses, though both derive from the idea of a group acting together.

The term also appears in phrases that describe collective actions or identities, such as cultural or social collectives. It is important to distinguish colectivo from related terms like colectividad (the broader notion of a community or collective identity) and colectivización (the process of collectivization of property).

Overall, colectivo emphasizes collaboration and group-based approaches, whether describing a social body, a cooperative enterprise, or a public transit vehicle.