collaborator

/kəˈlæbəreɪtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /kəˈlæbəreɪtər/ (ame, ipa) · /kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tər/ (ame, mw)

collaborator — noun

  • collaboratorsingular
  • collaboratorsplural

1. someone who works closely with one or more other people to create something, suc

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who works closely with one or more other people to create something, such as a book, a piece of music, a research paper, or a business plan.

例句

Otis and his longtime collaborator finished writing the musical last summer.

noun + with someone on a creative project

Padma thanked her collaborators in the opening pages of the cookbook.

plural use: my collaborators / her collaborators

同義詞
  • partner

    broader; covers business, romantic, and creative joint roles

  • co-author

    specific to writing or research papers

  • associate

    more formal, often in business or law contexts

  • colleague

    general workplace coworker, not necessarily on a shared project

反義詞
  • rival

    competitor rather than partner

  • sole author

    person who works alone, no joint contribution

文法句型

collaborator on [project]

collaborator with [person]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person engaged in creative, academic, or professional work; the collaboration is voluntary and positive. Distinguish from sense 2, where the cooperation is with a hostile occupying force.

常見錯誤

❌I am a collaborator of John on this project.
✅I am a collaborator with John on this project.
💡use 'with' before the partner, 'on' before the project.
❌The team has six collaborates.
✅The team has six collaborators.
💡the noun ending is '-ator', not '-ate'.

2. someone who secretly helps a foreign army or government that has invaded and is

2.名詞C1
釋義

someone who secretly helps a foreign army or government that has invaded and is now ruling their own country, often viewed as a traitor by other citizens.

例句

After the war ended, many suspected collaborators were put on trial in Paris.

suspected / alleged collaborator (frequent modifier)

Villagers refused to speak to anyone they believed had been a collaborator.

social shunning context (typical scene)

同義詞
  • traitor

    broader; any betrayal of one's country, not only wartime

  • collaborationist

    near-synonym; more formal historiographical term

  • quisling

    literary; derives from a WWII Norwegian leader; very strong condemnation

反義詞
  • resister

    person who actively fought the occupying power

  • patriot

    loyal citizen who supports their own country

文法句型

accused of being a collaborator

branded a collaborator

用法筆記

Almost always strongly negative; carries the connotation of betrayal during wartime occupation. Distinguish from sense 1 (neutral or positive creative partnership). The disambiguating clue is usually a wartime, resistance, or occupation context.

常見錯誤

❌My research collaborator helped Germany during the war.' (ambiguous — sounds positive)
✅My research partner helped Germany during the war as a collaborator.
💡for the wartime sense, the surrounding context must make the occupation clear.