collection

[kuh-lek-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of collecting.

2. something that is collected; a group of objects or an amount of material accumulated in one location, especially for some purpose or as a result of some process: a collection of unclaimed hats in the checkroom;

   a stamp collection;

   a collection of unclaimed hats in the checkroom;

   a collection of books on Churchill.

   Synonyms: store, hoard, pile, heap, mass, aggregation, accumulation

3. the works of art constituting the holdings of an art museum.

   a history of the museum and of the collection.

4. the gathered or exhibited works of a single painter, sculptor, etc..

   an excellent Picasso collection.

5. collections, the various holdings of an art museum organized by category, as painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, or film.

   the director of the collections.

6. the clothes or other items produced by a designer, especially for a seasonal line.

   the spring collection.

7. a sum of money collected, especially for charity or church use.

   Synonyms: alms, contribution(s)

8. Manège.,  act of bringing or coming into a collected attitude.

collection

/ kəˈlɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of collecting

2. a number of things collected or assembled together

3. a selection of clothes, esp as presented by a particular designer for a specified season

4. something gathered into a mass or pile; accumulation

   a collection of rubbish

5. a sum of money collected or solicited, as in church

6. removal, esp regular removal of letters from a postbox

7. (often plural) (at Oxford University) a college examination or an oral report by a tutor

Other Word Forms

• collectional adjective
• noncollection noun
• precollection noun
• subcollection noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of collection¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English colleccioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin collēctiōn-, stem of collēctiō “a gathering together,” from collēct(us) “gathered together” (past participle of colligere; collect ¹ ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Famous faces watched on as Northern Ireland-born fashion designer Jonathan Anderson unveiled his first women's ready-to-wear Dior collection during Paris Fashion Week.

From BBC

In her latest short story collection, Argentine writer Mariana Enríquez offers haunting imagery and a sharp focus on mental, physical and economic ruin.

From Los Angeles Times

Outside London, Sir Terry also built Hull's striking aquarium, The Deep, jutting out over the Humber like a strangely angular boat; and the eclectic collection of buildings known as The Centre for Life in Newcastle.

From BBC

The collection was inspired by the northern Italian city where Armani lived and the small volcanic island of Pantelleria, where he had a holiday home.

From BBC

The trust's website says Penrhyn Castle's "formidable architecture, opulent interiors and fine art collection lean on a long history of sugar and slate fortunes, social unrest and the longest-running industrial dispute in British history".

From BBC

Related Words

• assemblage 
• assortment 
• compilation 
• lot 
• number 
• selection 
• set 
• store