collate

American  

[kuh-leyt, koh-, ko-, koh-leyt, kol-eyt] / kəˈleɪt, koʊ-, kɒ-, ˈkoʊ leɪt, ˈkɒl eɪt /

verb (used with object)

• collates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• collated,
  past participle,  past
• collating
  present participle

1. to gather or arrange in their proper sequence (the pages of a report, the sheets of a book, the pages of several sets of copies, etc.).

2. Bookbinding. to verify the arrangement of (the gathered sheets of a book), usually by inspecting the signature at the foot of the first page of each sheet or the mark printed on the back of each sheet or on the spine of each signature.

3. to compare (texts, statements, etc.) in order to note points of agreement or disagreement.

4. Bibliography. to verify the number and order of the sheets of (a volume) as a means of determining its completeness.

5. Computers. to merge (sequenced data from two or more data sets or files) to produce a new sequenced data set or file.

6. Ecclesiastical. to present by collation, as to a benefice.

---

collate British  

/ kɒˈleɪt, kə- /

verb

1. to examine and compare (texts, statements, etc) in order to note points of agreement and disagreement

2. (in library work) to check the number and order of (the pages of a book)

3. bookbinding

   1. to check the sequence of (the sections of a book) after gathering

   2. a nontechnical word for gather

4. (often foll by to) Christianity to appoint (an incumbent) to a benefice

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• collator
  noun
• collatable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• collating
  present
• collated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• collate
  simple
• collates
  simple
• have collated
  perfect
• has collated
  perfect
• am collating
  progressive
• are collating
  progressive
• is collating
  progressive
• have been collating
  perfect progressive
• has been collating
  perfect progressive

Past

• collated
  simple
• had collated
  perfect
• was collating
  progressive
• were collating
  progressive
• had been collating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will collate
  simple
• will have collated
  perfect
• will be collating
  progressive
• will have been collating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of collate

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin collātus “borne together,” past participle of conferre “to bear together,” from con- con- + ferre “to bear, bring, carry”; for the suppletive element -lātus, earlier tlātus (unrecorded), see also thole ², tolerate

Explanation

Although the verb collate specifically means to put pages in a correct order, the word can be used more generally to mean to put anything into the proper sequence. Collating can mean the mindless job of putting papers in order before stapling them, or it can mean the high-brow analytical job of critically comparing multiple texts. Both usually involve paper, only the latter involves higher-order thinking. "The genealogists collated data from several sources, which made them realize, based on the dates, that Henry the VIII could not have been on the family tree."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collate collates collated collating

The goal is to collate all the agreed-upon ideas into one single-page framework, the officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

On that day, I followed Nikki’s careful instructions to type and collate the lines of poetry I’d scrawled in composition books and notepads for years and leave the rest to her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2024

“We need to have data and to collate our findings from these countries to help build a picture of their modus operandi,” said Mr Kaya.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2024

But as she concluded, the platforms do engage in editorial functions when they curate and collate content.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2023

Their personal papers were even harder to collate.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

The complex, diverse ecosystem created by European reef-building oysters has collapsed, according to the recent assessment we submitted to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which collates the statuses of ecosystems and species.

From Salon ● Jan. 6, 2025

China's ministry of civil affairs, which collates death statistics, has not published nationwide cremation data covering that period.

From Reuters ● Jul. 18, 2023

To determine which ones are the most popular, The San Francisco Chronicle sifted through data from AllTrails.com, which collates user-generated ratings and reviews of hiking routes.

From New York Times ● Dec. 14, 2022

Just over half of these procedures were either cataract, hip or knee surgery, according to data from PHIN, an independent organisation that collates data on private consultants and hospitals.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2022

Collā′tor, one who collates or compares: one who bestows or presents.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Analysts expected an underlying profit around $12.66 billion, according to a consensus estimate collated by Visible Alpha.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

On a fold-up bed by the window, 59-year-old Xu Rulin from Jiangxi province pulls his carefully collated evidence out of a red plastic shopping bag.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Underlying earnings rose 43% from a year earlier to $6.85 billion, topping the $6.61 billion consensus estimate collated by Visible Alpha.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

A half dozen recent polls collated by USA Today as the country approaches the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence showed a majority believed the country's best years were behind it.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

He worked the machine and Russo carried the copies to Sinay’s desk, where he collated the pages into neat stacks.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Skillfully collating the accounts of Auden’s intimates, he offers details about the poet’s sexuality, psyche, cratering appearance and deteriorating habits that are painful to contemplate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The BLS spends the days before a release collating the data and assembling the public report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026

Now they can do the same with the stats on female players that they began collating in 2021.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2025

“My mother included us in everything that she did, and I mean everything. I remember as a child collating pages for her second book. It was wonderful.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025

Harker has gone back, and is again collating his material.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker