corporation
UK[ˌkɔː.pərˈeɪ.ʃən]US[ˌkɔːr.pəˈreɪ.ʃən]
n
a large company or group of companies authorized to act as a single entity and recognized as such in law.
n
a group of people elected to govern a city, town, or borough.
Morpheme Breakdown
corpor
ation
corpor
body
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'corporation' has its roots in the latin 'corpus', meaning 'body'. this reflects the legal concept of a corporation as a single, unified 'body' or entity, distinct from the individuals who comprise it. the suffix '-ation' transforms the concept into a noun denoting the state or condition of being formed into such a body. thus, the literal 'making into a body' evolved into the modern abstract meaning of a legally recognized collective entity, such as a business company or a municipal governing council.
Analysis
Structure: corpor (body) + ation (noun suffix)
corpor originates from latin 'corpus' meaning 'body'. ation is a latin-derived noun-forming suffix indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
the multinational corporation has offices in over fifty countries.
she works for a large financial corporation in new york.
the city corporation is responsible for local infrastructure and services.