collection

noun

col·​lec·​tion kə-ˈlek-shən 

1

: the act or process of collecting

the collection of data

the collection of taxes

2

a

: something collected

especially : an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition or as a hobby

a collection of poems

a collection of photographs

a baseball card collection

b

: group, aggregate

a collection of symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, and joint pain

c

: a set of apparel designed for sale usually in a particular season

the designer's spring collection of dresses

Synonyms

• assemblage
• library

Examples of collection in a Sentence

a system of tax collection

The technology makes data collection easier.

There will be a trash collection this week.

The museum's collection is one of the best in the country.

We took up a collection for the school renovations.

Ten percent of the collection goes to the city's shelters for homeless people.

Recent Examples on the Web

My current music collection has a lot of ‘90s and current day R&B, from Mary J Blige to Jazmine Sullivan. —Liza Lentini, SPIN, 17 Jan. 2025

The cause is personal to Sambora, who lives in the Los Angeles area and had to lean on friends to help make sure his collection of guitars was safe from the flames. —Rachel Desantis, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025

Stone Island will present its fall collection at the brand’s new Milan showroom in Via Tortona on Saturday. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 17 Jan. 2025

The real soul of the residence is animated by the homeowners’ wide-ranging collection of paintings and local ceramic sculptural works that are thoughtfully integrated throughout. —Troy J. McMullen, Architectural Digest, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English colleccioun, collection, borrowed from Anglo-French collection, borrowed from Latin collēctiōn-, collēctiō "bringing together, accumulation," from colleg-, variant stem of colligere "to gather together, assemble, accumulate, pull (oneself) together" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at collect entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing collection

• sub-collection

Kids Definition

collection

noun

col·​lec·​tion kə-ˈlek-shən 

1

: the act or process of collecting

2

a

: something collected

especially : an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition or as a hobby

b

: set entry 2 sense 7

3

: a gathering of money

take up a collection