What does coordination mean?
Coordination is the organization of separate people, groups, or moving parts so that they work together smoothly and efficiently toward a common aim. It appears everywhere complex human activity does: emergency services coordinating a disaster response, government departments coordinating policy, or the muscles of the hand and eye coordinating to catch a ball. In physiology it names the harmonious interplay of nerves and muscles; in grammar, it describes the linking of equal clauses or phrases with words like 'and' and 'or'. Because coordination implies harmony and efficiency, its absence — 'a lack of coordination' — is one of the most common criticisms levelled at large organizations after something goes wrong. Derived from Latin roots meaning 'to arrange together', the word entered English in the seventeenth century and has become indispensable to modern administrative, scientific, and sporting vocabulary.
nounThe organization of the different elements of a complex activity or body so as to enable them to work together effectively; the act of coordinating people, parts, or actions.
- The organized working together of people, groups, or elements so that their actions are efficient and mutually reinforcing.
- (Physiology) The harmonious functioning of muscles, limbs, or sense organs together, especially in controlled movement such as hand-eye coordination.
- (Grammar) The linking of words, phrases, or clauses of equal status by means of conjunctions such as 'and', 'or', or 'but'.
"The success of the rescue mission depended on flawless coordination between the firefighters and paramedics."
"A central command centre was set up to improve coordination among the aid agencies."
"Years of piano practice sharpened her hand-eye coordination."
Rarely used; coordination is nearly always treated as an uncountable abstract noun, though plural forms occasionally appear in technical writing about multiple distinct instances of coordination.
"The study compared motor coordinations across several age groups."
Coordination comes from the same Latin root as 'order' — literally 'to arrange together' — which is why your body's hand-eye coordination and a company's coordination problems are, etymologically, the exact same idea.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coordination
Coordination derives from Late Latin 'coordinatio', built from 'co-' ('together') plus 'ordinare' ('to arrange, set in order'), itself rooted in the Latin noun 'ordo', meaning row, rank, or order. It entered English usage in the early seventeenth century, initially carrying the sense of arranging things side by side as equals rather than in hierarchy. Its Latin ancestry makes it a cousin of words like 'ordain', 'ordinary', 'subordinate', and 'order', all descended from that same root of ranking and arrangement.
Related word forms
How coordination is actually used
Coordination is a formal-to-neutral noun common in business, military, medical, and scientific writing. It carries a positive connotation — implying efficiency and harmony — so 'a lack of coordination' is a standard way of criticizing a botched effort. In British English the hyphenated spelling 'co-ordination' remains common, though unhyphenated 'coordination' is increasingly standard in both regions.
Easily confused with coordination
Cooperation means actively working together toward a shared goal, while coordination refers to organizing separate elements or efforts so they function together smoothly.
Ordination is the ceremonial conferral of holy orders in a religious context, a near-anagram-like neighbor of coordination that shares its Latin root but has an entirely different meaning.