chrestomathy

[kres-tom-uh-thee]

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noun, plural chres·tom·a·thies.

a collection of selected literary passages, often by one author and especially from a foreign language.

Origin of chrestomathy

1825–35; < New Latin chrestomathia < Greek chrēstomátheia, equivalent to chrēstó(s) useful (chrēs-, stem of chrêsthai to use + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + math- (variant stem of manthánein to learn) + -eia -y³

Related formschres·to·math·ic

[kres-tuh-math-ik] /ˌkrɛs təˈmæθ ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for chrestomathy

oeuvre, anthology, library, works, classics, ana, miscellanea

Examples from the Web for chrestomathy

Historical Examples of chrestomathy

The second is 'Bontsie Silent,' which is given in our Chrestomathy.
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century
Leo Wiener
Chrestomathy, kres-tom′a-thi, n. a book of selections from foreign languages, usually for beginners.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)
Various
The Persian text of these fables appeared in 1805 in the chrestomathy appended to Fr.
The Influence of India and Persia on the Poetry of Germany
Arthur F. J. Remy
Nothing is known of an Ἀνθηρῶν συναγωγή, a sort of anthology or chrestomathy attributed to him by Suidas.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 1
Various

British Dictionary definitions for chrestomathy

chrestomathy

noun plural -thies

rare a collection of literary passages, used in the study of language

Derived Formschrestomathic (ˌkrɛstəʊˈmæθɪk), adjective

Word Origin for chrestomathy

C19: from Greek khrēstomatheia, from khrēstos useful + mathein to learn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for chrestomathy

"collection of literary passages," 1774, from French chrestomathie, from Latinized form of Greek khrestomatheia "desire of learning; book containing selected passages," lit. "useful learning," from khrestos "useful" (verbal adjective of khresthai "to make use of;" see hortatory) + manthanein "to learn" (see mathematic). Related: Chrestomathic.