team

UK: /ˈtiːm/ US: /tim/ ,(tēm)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

team /tim/   n. [countable]

1. a group of people forming a side in a game or contest:
   a basketball team; a debating team.
2. a group of people assembled for an action or activity:
   A team of experts visited the site of the crash.
3. Agriculture two or more horses or other animals harnessed together to draw a vehicle, plow, etc.

v. 

4. to join together in a team: [~ + object (+ together/up)]
   He teamed them (together) on the project.
   [no object]
   The two teamed up to work on the new budget.

adj. [before a noun]

5. relating to or performed by a team:
   a team effort.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

team  (tēm), n. 

1. a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest:
   a football team.
2. a number of persons associated in some joint action:
   a team of advisers.
3. Agriculture two or more horses, oxen, or other animals harnessed together to draw a vehicle, plow, or the like.
4. one or more draft animals together with the harness and vehicle drawn.
5. Agriculture a family of young animals, esp. ducks or pigs.
6. [Obs.] offspring or progeny;
   race or lineage.

v.t. 

7. to join together in a team.
8. Dialect Terms [Chiefly Northern U.S. Older Use.] to convey or transport by means of a team;
   haul.

v.i. 

9. to drive a team.
10. to gather or join in a team, a band, or a cooperative effort (usually fol. by up, together, etc.).

adj. 

11. of, pertaining to, or performed by a team:
    a team sport; team effort.

• bef. 900; Middle English teme (noun, nominal), Old English tēam child-bearing, brood, offspring, set of draft beasts; cognate with Dutch toom bridle, reins, German Zaum, Old Norse taumr

Synonyms

• 10. combine, unite, ally, merge.

Usage

See collective noun. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

team / tiːm/ noun (sometimes functioning as plural)

1. a group of people organized to work together
2. a group of players forming one of the sides in a sporting contest
3. two or more animals working together to pull a vehicle or agricultural implement
4. such animals and the vehicle

verb

1. when intr, often followed by up: to make or cause to make a team
2. (transitive) to drag or transport in or by a team
3. (intransitive) to drive a team

Etymology: Old English team offspring; related to Old Frisian tām bridle, Old Norse taumr chain yoking animals together, Old High German zoum bridle