colleague

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'colleague' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to another person who works in the same company, organization, or institution as you, or someone you are working with on a project. For example, "I had a great meeting with my colleague from accounting".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A colleague corrected him: this was true only of One and Two.

The Guardian - Tech

Nearby, a colleague who had carried out four burials that day, was less sanguine.

The Guardian

In the end it wasn't Jeremy Clarkson's racist, homophobic or sexist comments, but a "fracas" with a colleague that became the final straw for the BBC, long urged to punish its highest-paid star.

The Guardian

When Josh Crumb and his colleague started out, they just wanted to figure out a way to allow people to pay for a cup of coffee with gold.

The Guardian - Money

He stepped down in 2011 and was replaced by his political protege in the area, Margaret Ritchie, who described McGrady as "not only my mentor and colleague but a very dear friend".

The Guardian

Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 2.37pm BST14:37 Deir Azzour: 'The shooting on the city is continuous' Our colleague Mona Mahmood has been speaking via Skype with Auss al-Arabi, a resident of Sheikh Yassin district in Deir Azzour: The shooting on the city is continuous.

The Guardian

My colleague Ewen MacAskill remarks: "Well at least he didn't cry".

The Guardian

Khalid Majid, a resident of the city's Hamidiya district described the situation there in a Skype conversation with our colleague Mona Mahmood.

The Guardian

She and a colleague, Dominic Kane, were among 20 people accused of spreading false news, bringing Egypt into disrepute, and conspiring with terrorists.

The Guardian

Another senior colleague stopped me in the corridor: "This is very rare," she said.

The Guardian

He was an inspirational colleague, an adventurous field-worker, a lover of life, a loyal friend and a superb cook.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "colleague" when you want to emphasize a professional relationship and shared workplace. It is suitable for both formal and informal settings.

Common error

Avoid using "colleague" to refer to friends or acquaintances outside of a professional setting. Using a more general term like "friend" or "associate" is better in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "colleague" is as a noun, referring to a person with whom one works in a professional capacity. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "colleague" is a grammatically correct and widely used noun for referring to someone you work with professionally. Ludwig AI confirms its varied applications across contexts. Its usage spans from formal business settings to news media, with a neutral register suitable for most professional communications. Alternatives like "coworker" or "associate" can be used depending on the specific context and desired level of formality. Remember to reserve "colleague" for professional relationships and avoid using it in non-professional settings to maintain clarity and appropriateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Coworker

Similar meaning, emphasizing the shared work environment.

Associate

A more formal term for someone you work with, often implying a professional connection.

Workmate

Informal term denoting someone you work with.

Fellow worker

Stresses shared labor or purpose in a workplace.

Professional peer

Focuses on individuals at a similar level in the same profession.

Teammate

Highlights collaboration within a specific team.

Collaborator

Emphasizes working together on a specific project.

Office mate

Informal, referring to someone sharing the same office space.

Business partner

Indicates a formal, often financial, partnership in a business venture.

Staff member

A general term for someone employed within an organization.

FAQs

What's the difference between "colleague" and "associate"?

"Colleague" typically refers to someone you work with in the same organization. "Associate" can be broader, including people you work with from different organizations or in less formal settings.

What can I say instead of "colleague"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "coworker", "workmate", "fellow worker", or "professional peer".

Is "colleague" a formal or informal term?

"Colleague" is generally considered a neutral to slightly formal term. It's appropriate for most professional settings, but "workmate" might be more suitable for very informal environments.

How do I use "colleague" in a sentence?

You can use "colleague" to describe someone you work with, such as "I'm working on a project with my colleague from marketing" or "My colleague will be presenting at the conference".