corporation English · revision 4407

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1439|origins=la corpus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˌkɔː.pərˈeɪ.ʃən/, US /ˌkɔːr.pəˈreɪ.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|corporacioun]],^(Etymonline) from Anglo-Latin use of [[la-lat|corporātiō|alt=corporationem|t=assumption of a body]], used of the Incarnation,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(MWU 2024) a noun of action from the past participle stem of Latin corporare “to embody, make into a body”,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|la|corpus|t=body; a whole of united parts, a guild]] (genitive corporis),^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*kʷrep-|alt=*kwrep-|t=body, form]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[corporate]], [[corpse]] and [[corps]].^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The action of incorporating, or the condition of being incorporated: 1439 in the OED, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) Persons united in a body for a purpose: the mid-15th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) 1534 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An incorporated company of traders, a guild, is from 1530.^(OED 1989) The legal sense, a body authorized to act as a single individual, an “artificial person” created by law, is from 1611,^(OED 1989) the 1610s in Etymonline, applied both to municipal governments and to modern business companies.^(Etymonline) The civic authorities of a town are from before 1734.^(OED 1989) Johnson in 1755 defined a corporation as a body politic authorized by royal charter to have a common seal and officers.^(Johnson 1755) Colloquially, a large belly is from 1753.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1439 – incorporation.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1530 – a company of traders.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1534 – a body of persons.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1611 – a legal corporation.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1734 – a town corporation.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1753 – a paunch.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A body, such as a [[company]], given a charter that recognizes it in law as a separate entity with its own rights and liabilities.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Such a body formed for government, as the authorities of a city.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A group of people combined into or acting as one [[body]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(informal)'' A paunch.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[corporational]]

+ * [[megacorporation]]

+ * [[Crown corporation]]

+ * [[municipal corporation]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[corporate]]

+ * [[incorporate]]

+ * [[corporal]]

+ * [[corpse]]

+ * [[corps]]

+ * [[corpus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}