assemblage

noun

as·​sem·​blage ə-ˈsem-blij 

 for sense 3 also  ˌa-ˌsäm-ˈbläzh

1

: a collection of persons or things : gathering

2

: the act of assembling : the state of being assembled

3

a

: an artistic composition made from scraps, junk, and odds and ends (as of paper, cloth, wood, stone, or metal)

b

: the art of making assemblages

Synonyms

• assembly
• conference
• congregation
• convocation
• gathering
• ingathering
• meeting
• muster

Examples of assemblage in a Sentence

an assemblage of onlookers at the construction site

tried to sort through the assemblage of ripped wrapping paper and boxes for the missing toy

Recent Examples on the Web

The holiday household is rounded out by a fractious assemblage of relatives, employees, and lovers played by great actors like Clarke Peters, Jack Farthing, and Anjana Vasan. —Judy Berman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025

Spanning nearly two decades of work, the exhibition, currently on view at The Whitney Museum of American Art is an assemblage of close to 50 portraits that reimagine the American realist tradition by centering Black subjects in moments of stillness, style, and sovereign presence. —Najha Zigbi-Johnson, Essence, 30 Apr. 2025

On Friday, as the Rams prepared for the second night of the draft, McVay used his oratory skills before another assemblage of pros. —Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025

Upon approach, however, the sculptures contain a number of unsettling assemblages, with what look to be heavy wooden tabletops resting on collapsible camp chairs. —Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, from assembler "to bring together, assemble" + -age -age

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

assemblage

noun

as·​sem·​blage ə-ˈsem-blij 

 for 3 also  ˌas-ˌäm-ˈbläzh

1

: a collection or gathering of persons or things

2

: the act of assembling

3

: an artistic composition made by putting together scraps or junk