collocation
noun /ˌkɒləˈkeɪʃn/
/ˌkɑːləˈkeɪʃn/
(linguistics)- [countable] a combination of words in a language that happens very often and more frequently than would happen by chance
- ‘Resounding success’ and ‘crying shame’ are English collocations.
- [uncountable] the fact of two or more words often being used together, in a way that happens more frequently than would happen by chance
- Advanced students need to be aware of the importance of collocation.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin collocatio(n-), from collocare ‘place together’, from col- ‘together’ + locare ‘to place’.