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 of collection

• library
• assemblage
• assortment
• repertoire

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

Other modes include Resource Rumble, where teams battle over the collection of resources, and Convoy, where two teams must push a cart across the map to their base. —Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025

Jade plants, known for their tree-like structure, can become standout features in your plant collection with proper care. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2025

Imax and GKids have teamed since 2021 on a wide collection of titles, including The Boy and The Heron. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025

Decked out with Cantonese and Mandarin records and memorabilia from the 1980s and beyond (much from the personal collection of Hue House’s chief marketing officer, Haoran Chen), each menu item is printed on a CD in an old-fashioned case. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 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

Rhymes for collection

• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• complexion
• confection
• connection
• connexion
• convection
• correction
• defection

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