syndicate

[sin-di-kit, sin-di-keyt]

noun

1. a group of individuals or organizations combined or making a joint effort to undertake some specific duty or carry out specific transactions or negotiations.

   The local furniture store is individually owned, but is part of a buying syndicate.

2. a combination of bankers or capitalists formed for the purpose of carrying out some project requiring large resources of capital, as the underwriting of an issue of stock or bonds.

3. Journalism.

   1. an agency that buys articles, stories, columns, photographs, comic strips, or other features and distributes them for simultaneous publication in a number of newspapers or periodicals.

   2. a business organization owning and operating a number of newspapers; newspaper chain.

4. a group, combination, or association of gangsters controlling organized crime or one type of crime, especially in one region of the country.

5. a council or body of syndics.

6. a local organization of employers or employees in Italy during the Fascist regime.

verb (used with object)

syndicated, syndicating 

1. to combine into a syndicate.

2. to publish simultaneously, or supply for simultaneous publication, in a number of newspapers or other periodicals.

   Her column is syndicated in 120 papers.

3. Television.,  to sell (a program, series, etc.) directly to independent stations.

4. to sell shares in or offer participation in the financial sharing of (a risk venture, loan, or the like).

   to syndicate a racehorse among speculators;

   to syndicate a loan among several banks.

verb (used without object)

syndicated, syndicating 

1. to combine to form a syndicate.

syndicate

noun

1. an association of business enterprises or individuals organized to undertake a joint project requiring considerable capital

2. a news agency that sells articles, photographs, etc, to a number of newspapers for simultaneous publication

3. any association formed to carry out an enterprise or enterprises of common interest to its members

4. a board of syndics or the office of syndic

5. (in Italy under the Fascists) a local organization of employers or employees

verb

1. (tr) to sell (articles, photographs, etc) to several newspapers for simultaneous publication

2. (tr) to sell (a programme or programmes) to several local commercial television or radio stations

3. to form a syndicate of (people)

Other Word Forms

• syndication noun
• syndicatable adjective
• subsyndicate noun
• supersyndicate noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of syndicate¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from Middle French syndicat “office of syndic, board of syndics,” from Medieval Latin syndicātus, equivalent to syndic + -ate ³ ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of syndicate¹

C17: from Old French syndicat office of a _syndic

Example Sentences

When he scored a coveted spot as a cartoonist for The Denver Post, Oliphant gained a taste for the anti-establishment, and soon after, his cartoons were syndicated internationally, gaining him renown the world over.

From Salon

Carroll, who was known for his appearances on the long-running syndicated comedy show “Showtime at the Apollo,” had been traveling with comedian Williams on his spring tour, Heaven on Earth.

From Los Angeles Times

Nigeria has deported dozens of foreigners, including 50 Chinese nationals, in a major crackdown over the last week on one of the "largest foreign-led cybercrime syndicates", the country's anti-graft agency has said.

From BBC

When he was arrested in July, U.S. authorities labeled Chávez an “affiliate” of the Sinaloa cartel, which is one of Mexico’s largest — and most lethal — drug-trafficking syndicates.

From Los Angeles Times

Washington also accused Maduro of links to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, which is among the crime syndicates the administration has labeled a foreign terrorist organization.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• association 
• cartel 
• conglomerate 
• gang 
• mob 
• organization 
• ring 
• union