Collaborator

/kəˈlæbəreɪtər/ noun

Definition

A person who works together with another or others on a project or task.

Etymology

From Latin 'collaborare' meaning 'to labor together,' from 'com-' (together) and 'laborare' (to work). The term became loaded during WWII when it described those who worked with occupying forces.

Kelly Says

Collaborator has a tragic history—during WWII it became a dirty word for traitors, but originally it just meant teamwork, showing how historical trauma can poison innocent vocabulary.

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