collection

noun

col·​lec·​tion kə-ˈlek-shən How to pronounce collection (audio)
Synonyms of collectionnext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kirshenbaum is the author of the story collection History on a Personal Note and six novels, including On Mermaid Avenue, Hester among the Ruins, An Almost Perfect Moment, and The Scenic Route. Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026 Styled by Erin Walsh, the pastel floral number from the brand's AW26 collection was a bright mix of light blue and white. Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026 The collection includes work-ready frames, travel-friendly styles and bold pieces for evenings out, showing the flexibility many customers want when refreshing their wardrobes for a new season. Advertorial, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026 This exhibition will juxtapose garments and works of art from across the museum’s collection, creating pairings that will illuminate the connection between clothing and the body, as well as the interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an art form. Jane Levere, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for collection

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of collection was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Collection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collection. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

collection

noun
col·​lec·​tion kə-ˈlek-shən How to pronounce collection (audio)
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
3
: a gathering of money
take up a collection

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