anthology

noun

an·​thol·​o·​gy an-ˈthä-lə-jē 

plural anthologies

1

: a collection of selected literary pieces or passages or works of art or music

an anthology of American poetry

2

: assortment

… an anthology of threadbare clichés of … bistro cuisine …

—Jay Jacobs

anthological

ˌan(t)-thə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• album
• collectanea
• compendium
• compilation
• florilegium
• miscellany
• reader

Examples of anthology in a Sentence

an anthology of American poetry

The band will be releasing an anthology of their earlier albums.

Recent Examples on the Web

Billboard can report that the events surrounding the tragic festival at NRG Park will be featured in the first episode of Netflix’s upcoming anthology series Trainwreck. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 May 2025

Ryan Murphy has found his Kennedys after an intensive casting search for the first installment of his new FX anthology series, American Love Story. —Meredith Kile, People.com, 13 May 2025

The first iteration of the American Love Story anthology series for FX will be produced by Murphy, Brad Simpson, Nina Jacobson, D.V. DeVincentis and Connor Hines. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2025

After the disappointment of Tales of the Empire, the Force is strong with this third anthology series. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & New Latin; French anthologie, going back to Middle French, borrowed from New Latin anthologia, borrowed from Greek anthología "gathering of flowers," from anthológos "flower-gathering" (from antho- antho- + -logos, nominal ablaut derivative of légein "to gather, collect") + -ia -ia entry 1 — more at legend

Note: The sense "collection of extracts" is found earlier in the parallel formation anthológion, attested in Byzantine Greek.

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anthology

• apology
• astrology
• biology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology
• ethnology

Kids Definition

anthology

noun

an·​thol·​o·​gy an-ˈthäl-ə-jē 

plural anthologies

: a collection of literary pieces

anthologist

-jəst

noun