{"id":3900,"date":"2020-11-18T11:50:13","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T19:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/?p=3900"},"modified":"2021-04-07T16:53:22","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:53:22","slug":"colleague-vs-coworker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/colleague-vs-coworker\/","title":{"rendered":"Colleague vs Coworker: What\u2019s the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Colleague vs Coworker<\/i><\/b>\u2026 It sounds like the headline for a professional wrestling match!<\/span><\/p>\n

But, we\u2019re not speaking about two words in conflict. They have a lot in common, which is why many people mix up these two words.<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019re important in business and professional settings, so read closely. Or you might confuse one of your colleagues or coworkers at the next conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll eliminate the confusion, explain the differences, and show you how to correctly use the terms <\/span>colleague <\/i><\/b>and <\/span>coworker<\/i><\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Colleague?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Colleague <\/i><\/b>is a French term (<\/span>coll\u00e8gue<\/span><\/i>) that means: <\/span>A person you work with in a profession or business.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

At face value<\/span><\/a>, it seems like everyone who works in the same profession or at the same place of business are colleagues. But that\u2019s not how we use the term.<\/span><\/p>\n

The base of <\/span>colleague <\/span><\/i>is the Latin term <\/span>collega<\/span><\/i>, which means <\/span>a partner<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>partner in office<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, is your boss a colleague?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically no, but there are exceptions. In modern workplaces, some bosses take more of a hands-on approach and work directly with their teams. However, be very careful with the term. Most bosses do not consider themselves colleagues with their subordinates.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the best example, let\u2019s look at a school. The teachers who work together at the school are colleagues. They all work together on the same project of educating students. Often, they work directly with each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, they are also colleagues with other teachers at other schools. Everyone works in the same profession and has a similar rank.<\/span><\/p>\n

They are not colleagues with their principal or headmaster. A teacher and a principal are not equal in rank within the school. Also, they have different jobs (or different responsibilities and\/or professions). The principal\u2019s colleagues are other principals or headmasters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colleague in a Sentence:<\/strong><\/p>\n