collection
kuh-LEHK-shuhn
Collection (noun) means a group of things gathered together, often assembled with care or over time. Example: “My grandmother keeps a small collection of teapots on the shelf in her kitchen.”
noun
1
A group of things gathered together, often assembled with care or over time.
"My grandmother keeps a small collection of teapots on the shelf in her kitchen."
"The museum's collection includes over 200 ancient artifacts."
"He has an impressive collection of vinyl records."
2
The act of gathering something, such as money or data.
"Rubbish collection happens every Tuesday morning, so put the bins out tonight."
"The survey team finished the collection of data from all the schools."
"The charity organized a collection for flood victims."
How to use collection
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA set of gathered items, or the act of gathering something.
Common pairings
art collection
take up a collection
data collection
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Word forms
- Plural
- collections
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My grandmother keeps a small _____ of teapots on the shelf in her kitchen.
Etymology
From Latin collectio, from colligere, "to gather together".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for collection
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for collection →
Frequently asked questions
What does “collection” mean?
The word “collection” means a group of things gathered together, often assembled with care or over time. In plain terms, a set of gathered items, or the act of gathering something.
How do you pronounce “collection”?
“Collection” is pronounced kuh-LEHK-shuhn (/kəˈlɛkʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “collection” in a sentence?
Here is “collection” used in a sentence: “The museum's collection includes over 200 ancient artifacts.”
What part of speech is “collection”?
“Collection” is a noun.
Where does the word “collection” come from?
The word “collection” comes from Latin. From Latin collectio, from colligere, "to gather together".
Is “collection” a common word?
“Collection” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “collection” have?
“Collection” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of things gathered together, often assembled with care or over time.
What is the difference between a collection and a set?
A set is a complete or standardised group whose members belong together by design, like a chess set or a set of tools. A collection is broader and more personal — items assembled gradually by choice, often for interest or value, and rarely complete in any fixed sense.
What is an example of a collection?
A stamp album, a museum's paintings, or a music playlist are all collections. The key idea is that separate items are brought together into one group — whether physical objects, digital files, or written works — usually chosen with care rather than gathered at random.
What are the different types of collections?
Collections range from personal hobbies like coins, stamps, or vinyl records to institutional holdings such as a library's books or a gallery's artworks. In business and computing, collection also means a curated product line or a structured group of data items. The common thread is deliberate gathering.
Why do people make collections?
People collect for many reasons: the pleasure of the hunt, a love of a subject, nostalgia, investment value, or the satisfaction of completing a group. Collecting can also preserve history and knowledge, which is why museums and archives treat their collections as cultural records worth protecting.
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