COLLOCATION

[noun] [C] [specialized]A collocation (also collocate) is a word or phrase which is frequently used with another word or phrase, in a way that sounds correct to people who have spoken the language all their lives, but might not be expected from the meaning.In the phrase 'a hard frost', 'hard' is a collocation of 'frost' and 'strong' would not sound natural.(specialized) A collocation can also be the combination of words formed when two or more words are frequently used together in a way that sounds correct.The phrase 'a hard frost' is a collocation.(specialized) Collocation is also the frequent use of some words and phrases with others, esp. in a way which is difficult to guess.Awareness of collocation is essential for fluency in a foreign language.