respective colleagues

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "respective colleagues" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, you might use it in a sentence like this: “We look forward to collaborating with our respective colleagues in the industry to develop new initiatives.”.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

These studies by Keskin, Hilf and their respective colleagues highlight several key aspects that underscore the current limitations of personalized-vaccine therapy, as well as the potential benefits.

Nature

The wide support that these initiatives have received from their respective colleagues in the region and in Washington should send a powerful message to the Entergy Corporation that the debate over its beleaguered plant is far from over.

The New York Times

The other five team members had been trained by their respective colleagues.

BMJ Open

The data entered by the social workers, optometrists, ophthalmologist, and lab technician will be counter checked for any deficiencies by their respective colleagues.

BMC Ophthalmology

Both Castrén and Busch with their respective colleagues demonstrated the feasibility and safety of NPC in the prehospital cardiac arrest setting [ 17, 18], and Abou-Chebl et al. provided data on brain cooling in brain-injured patients (−1.4°C within one hour) [ 19].

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

To help interpret the language behind the diplomatic parlor game represented in the above two so-called "important steps," I called several colleagues who are preeminent scholars in their respective fields.

Huffington Post

We calculated effect sizes for independent predictors in relation to the magnitude of the standard deviation of the respective patient or colleague score.

British Medical Journal

Residents spend most of their time in the hospital with their respective junior and senior colleagues.

Journal of Surgical Education

The planning committee in consultation with their respective professional organizations and colleagues identified faculty members who were interested in becoming PEH faculty champions at their academic institutions [National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) 2002].

Environmental Health Perspectives

We also included these two sets of variables as potential predictors in the respective patient-doctor and colleague-doctor regression models.

British Medical Journal

A while ago I was chatting with one of my colleagues about our respective defining batches.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "respective colleagues" when you need to emphasize that each colleague is being considered in relation to something specific, such as their department, project, or area of expertise.

Common error

Avoid using "respective colleagues" when a simple plural, such as "colleagues", would suffice. The term is most effective when highlighting a specific relationship or differentiation among the colleagues.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "respective colleagues" functions as a determiner + noun, specifying that the colleagues being referred to are each associated with something particular. It's used to avoid ambiguity when multiple colleagues are involved, and each has a unique connection or role in relation to something else, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "respective colleagues" is a grammatically correct and usable term that serves to clarify the specific relationships or individual roles among a group of colleagues. While deemed correct by Ludwig, it's most appropriate when emphasizing that each colleague is being considered in relation to something distinct. Usage contexts lean towards scientific and news media, maintaining a professional register. To avoid redundancy, ensure the term adds value by highlighting a clear differentiation or unique association for each colleague involved.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

their colleagues

A simpler way to refer to colleagues that removes "respective".

corresponding colleagues

Stresses a direct relationship or connection between colleagues.

relevant colleagues

Emphasizes colleagues who are important to a specific situation.

designated colleagues

Implies that colleagues have been specifically assigned or chosen.

particular colleagues

Highlights specific colleagues within a larger group.

specific colleagues

Similar to particular colleagues, but with a broader scope.

concerned colleagues

Emphasizes the colleagues' involvement or interest.

individual colleagues

Focuses on colleagues as separate entities.

each colleague

Highlights each colleague separately.

respective team members

Replaces colleagues with a term referring to a group working together. It narrows the meaning scope.

FAQs

How do I use "respective colleagues" in a sentence?

Use "respective colleagues" when referring to a group of colleagues each having a specific relationship to something else. For example, "The managers met with their "respective departments" to discuss the new policy."

What's a good alternative to "respective colleagues"?

Depending on the context, you could use "their colleagues" if the 'respective' aspect is already clear, or specify the relationship directly, like "colleagues from each department".

Is it correct to say "each of their respective colleagues"?

While grammatically understandable, "each of their respective colleagues" can be redundant. Simplify to "their colleagues" or rephrase to clarify the specific relationship.

What is the difference between "respective colleagues" and "relevant colleagues"?

"Respective colleagues" indicates colleagues are being considered individually in relation to something else, while "relevant colleagues" refers to colleagues who are important or applicable to a particular situation or task.