Compilation

/ˌkɒmpɪˈleɪʃən/

nounIntermediate📊CommonCollection
1 meaning1 question

Definitions

1

A collection of texts, musical pieces, or other works gathered into a single volume or work.

/ˌkɒmpɪˈleɪʃən/

nounneutralIntermediate
Collection

A collection of various things.

The new compilation album features songs from the band's entire career.

💡 Simply: Imagine a big box where you put all your favorite toys. A compilation is like that box, but instead of toys, it's songs, stories, or even computer code!

👶 For kids: A bunch of things put together in one place.

More Examples

2

The professor assigned a compilation of essays for the class to read.

How It's Used

Software Development

"The programmer spent hours debugging the compilation errors."

Music

"This album is a compilation of his greatest hits."

Synonyms & Antonyms

From Middle French compilation, from Latin compilatio, from compilare "to plunder, pillage, loot; to pile up, heap together; to compile," from com- "together" + pilare "to plunder, to pilfer; to heap up, to pile," from pilum "a stake, a pile." The sense evolved from a mere gathering of materials to a more organized and structured collection.

Historically, the word emphasized the act of bringing things together, often with an implication of selective organization, as opposed to a mere random aggregation.

Memory tip

Think 'com' (together) + 'pile' (heap) - a heap of things together.

Word Origin

Original meaning

"to pile together"

compilation of datacompilation errorscompilation process

Common misspellings

compillationcompalationcompilaition

Usage

20%Spoken
80%Written