Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An alliance, especially a temporary one, of people, factions, parties, or nations.
  • noun A combination into one body; a union.
  • noun A long-term cooperative alliance among a small number of male lions or cheetahs, especially to gain access to females or territory.
  • noun A transitory association of animals of the same species in which members join forces against another animal or animals to defend against an attack or gain access to a resource.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Union in a body or mass; a coming together, as of separate bodies or parts, and their union through natural causes in one mass or whole: as, a coalition of atoms or particles.
  • noun Voluntary union of individual persons, parties, or states; particularly, a temporary combining of parties or factions for the attainment of a special end; alliance.
  • noun Synonyms Alliance, League, Confederacy, etc. (see alliance), combination, copartnership.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of coalescing; union into a body or mass, as of separate bodies or parts.
  • noun A combination, for temporary purposes, of persons, parties, or states, having different interests.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A temporary group or union of organizations, usually formed for a particular advantage.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the state of being combined into one body
  • noun an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty
  • noun the union of diverse things into one body or form or group; the growing together of parts

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from Medieval Latin coalitiō, coalitiōn-, from Latin coalitus, past participle of coalēscere, to grow together; see coalesce.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French coalition ("coalition"), from Late Latin alo ("I advance (cause, etc., communion)").

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Examples

  • There is only one coalition possible—the coalition of the workers, soldiers and poorest peasants; and it is our party’s honour to have realised that coalition….

    Chapter 5. Plunging Ahead 1922

  • "It's normal for the President to reshuffle the Cabinet, particularly for ministers from coalition parties that are not committed * to the coalition*," he said.

    The Jakarta Post Breaking News 2010

  • Ignatieff: «The coalition if necesary, but not necessarily the coalition»

    Liblogs.ca latest blog entries 2009

  • Ignatieff: «The coalition if necesary, but not necessarily the coalition»

    Liblogs.ca latest blog entries 2009

  • In addition to a tax hike on the wealthy, the coalition is also pushing to end the tax exemption for interest paid on out-of-state bonds.

    Tommy Wells, advocates push for tax increase Tim Craig 2010

  • "What unites our coalition is a common goal to pull America back together and put America back to work," Jealous said.

    One Nation rally energizing liberals Krissah Thompson 2010

  • "What unites our coalition is a common goal to pull America back together and put America back to work," Jealous said.

    One Nation rally energizing liberals Krissah Thompson 2010

  • One side maintains that the country must be purged of its crippling Labour debt with extreme dispatch, the other that the coalition is a bunch of neo-Thatcherite revivalists eager to bless the rich at the expense of the poor.

    Pleading with banks won't do. Osborne needs a plan B Simon Jenkins 2010

  • May 19th, 2008 12: 42 pm ET mrs ferraro obama coalition is the coalition of progrossive people not a 19 century dragons.

    Ferraro suggests she may not vote for Obama 2008

  • The unifying theme now being pushed by this coalition is actually an American heresy -- a highly developed political philosophy that is fundamentally at odds with the founding principles of the United States of America.

    April 2005 2005

Comments

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  • A hunch of what might be in the stocking.

    December 25, 2008

  • Good one mollusque! I have to remember that one. :)

    April 7, 2009