headquarters
headquarters Lexical Profile
headquarters Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The main office or administrative center of an organization, corporate enterprise, or business.
"The technology company recently relocated its global headquarters to a new, state-of-the-art campus in Silicon Valley."
The physical premises, camp, or building occupied by a commanding officer and their staff from which military operations are directed.
"The general summoned his senior officers to headquarters for an urgent strategic briefing."
• verb
To establish or place the main administrative center of an organization in a specific location.
"The multinational corporation decided to headquarter its European operations in Dublin to take advantage of the favorable tax environment."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although plural in form, 'headquarters' can take either a singular or plural verb depending on whether it is conceptualized as a single facility or a collection of offices.
Word Origin & Etymology
Mid 17th century; originally a military term denoting the quarters of the commander-in-chief, formed by combining 'head' (meaning chief) and 'quarters' (meaning lodgings).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.