Working together in a group toward a common goal, or the present participle of forming into teams. Emphasizes collaborative effort and coordinated action.
From Old English 'team' meaning 'offspring, family, group of draft animals,' related to 'teon' (to draw, pull). The modern sense of cooperative group work developed in the 19th century as industrialization required coordinated labor efforts.
The word's evolution from describing animals pulling together to humans working together reflects humanity's recognition that cooperation yields greater results than individual effort. Modern 'team-building' exercises attempt to recreate the natural coordination once found in agricultural work teams.
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