con·sor·tium /kən-'sȯr-shəm; -shē-əm/ n pl -sor·tia /-shə, -shē-ə/ also -sortiums [Latin, sharing, partnership, from consort - consors sharer, partner]
1: an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member
2 [Medieval Latin, marital partnership, from Latin]: the right of one spouse to the company, affection, and assistance of and to sexual relations with the other; also: the right of a parent or child to the company, affection, and assistance of the other
suing for loss of consortium compare society
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.