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

Netflix's sci-fi anthology series mines our modern age for thought-provoking (and often terrifying) parables. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025

Since the British anthology series premiered in 2011, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry have starred in standalone episodes that take a stab at predicting the outrageous and horrifying future of digital innovations. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025

And reviews have centered on Seyfried, who is now very much in contention for a best actress in a limited or anthology series or TV movie Emmy nomination. —Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2025

Black Mirror season 7 Charlie Brooker’s paranoiac anthology series returns with six new episodes. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 12 Apr. 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