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

• compilation

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

Like Squid Game, many episodes of the dystopian anthology series Black Mirror explore the morally ambiguous ways people will try to make money — sometimes, with deadly results. —Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025

In a storyline straight out of dystopian anthology series Black Mirror, one aging police vehicle becomes erratic and violent out of panic it will be replaced and discarded. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

Johansson explains of the ride's plot, which is set in the same universe as Rod Sterling's iconic anthology TV series. —EW.com, 27 June 2025

In 2025, the Television Academy received 228 total submissions across drama, comedy, and limited or anthology series. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 June 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