What does colleague mean?
A colleague is a person with whom one shares professional work — a fellow employee, a partner in a practice, or a member of the same academic or scientific community. The word is neutral in tone and slightly formal: it signals shared occupation without implying friendship or equal rank, which distinguishes it from terms like "friend" or "peer." In British English, colleague is the standard everyday term for someone you work with, while American English more often uses "coworker." Its Latin roots are revealing: it derives from collega, meaning a partner in office, formed from com- (together) and legare (to depute or appoint), so a colleague is etymologically someone appointed alongside you. The word appears constantly in workplace writing, obituaries, acknowledgements, and news reports, making it essential vocabulary for professional life. Common pairings include "close colleague," "former colleague," and "esteemed colleague."
nounA person with whom one works in a profession or business; a fellow member of a profession, staff, or academic faculty.
- A person with whom one works, especially in a profession or office.
- A fellow member of a profession or academic body.
"She consulted a colleague before finalising the report."
"My colleague at the hospital covered my shift while I was away."
"The professor was widely respected by her colleagues across the university."
Regular plural; used freely for groups of coworkers or members of a profession.
"All her colleagues attended the retirement party."
"Colleague" literally means someone bound to you by law — it comes from Latin words meaning "joined together by legal agreement."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of colleague
Colleague comes from French collègue, borrowed from Latin collega, meaning a partner in office or a member of the same college, formed from com- (together) and legare (to depute or send as an envoy). The word entered English in the early 16th century. It shares its Latin root with college, collegiate, and collegial, all pointing back to the idea of people joined together under a common appointment or bond.
How colleague is actually used
Colleague is neutral to slightly formal in register and carries no connotation of friendship — only of shared professional work. It is more common in British English than "coworker," which is the everyday American equivalent. Unlike "peer," it does not imply equal rank.
Easily confused with colleague
A college is an institution of higher education or a constituent body within a university, whereas a colleague is a person with whom one works.