/ ˌkɒləˈkeɪʃn; NAmE ˌkɑːl-/ noun ( linguistics )
1.
[ C ] a combination of words in a language, that happens very often and more frequently than would happen by chance :
'Resounding success' and 'crying shame' are English collocations.
2.
[ U ] the fact of two or more words often being used together, in a way that happens more frequently than would happen by chance :
Advanced students need to be aware of the importance of collocation.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin collocatio(n-) , from collocare place together, from col- together + locare to place.