collage

noun

col·​lage kə-ˈläzh 

kȯ-,

kō-

1

a

: an artistic composition made of various materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface

cut pictures from magazines to make a collage

b

: a creative work that resembles such a composition in incorporating various materials or elements

the album is a collage of several musical styles

2

: the art of making collages

an artist known for her use of collage

3

: hodgepodge

a collage of ideas

4

: a work (such as a film) having disparate scenes in rapid succession without transitions

collage transitive verb

collagist

kə-ˈlä-zhist 

kȯ-

kō-

noun

Synonyms

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of collage in a Sentence

We made collages in art class.

an artist known for her use of collage

The album is a collage of several musical styles.

Recent Examples on the Web

One wall of Shockley’s bedroom was plastered with a collage of mass shooters, the affidavit said. —Lex Harvey, Holly Yan and Rebekah Riess, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025

In addition to several collages and drawings, the show features eight paintings—many of them doused in shades of red, all of them psychologically intense. —Grace Edquist, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025

Shockley's home was searched under a warrant Wednesday, and law enforcement officers discovered a collage of pictures of three school shooters, the affidavit says. —Doha Madani, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025

The vibe: This year's exhibit includes 150 artworks from nearly 100 different artists, including work by teens and mediums ranging from acrylics, oils, collage, dry painting, clay, plaster, and more. 💭 Moyo's thought bubble: These displays of Black art are truly remarkable. —Moyo Adeolu, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, gluing, from coller to glue, from colle glue, from Vulgar Latin *colla, from Greek kolla

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

collage

noun

col·​lage kə-ˈläzh 

kȯ-,

kō-

: a work of art made by gluing pieces of different materials to a flat surface

Etymology

from French collage "gluing," from coller "to glue"