collection

collection — noun

1. A set of similar objects that a person has gathered and kept over time, often as

1.nounB1
Definition

A set of similar objects that a person has gathered and kept over time, often as a hobby or for study.

Example

Priya keeps her stamp collection in a small wooden box on her desk.

collection of + hobby items

The museum's collection of ancient pottery draws visitors from around the world.

possession: museum's / gallery's + collection

Common collocations
  • stamp collection
  • coin collection
  • art collection
  • private collection
  • growing collection
  • collection of paintings
Synonyms
  • set

    a set implies matching or intentionally grouped items; a collection is more personal and accumulated over time

  • assemblage

    more formal; suggests an artistic or scholarly grouping

  • array

    emphasizes variety and visual display rather than long-term accumulation

Grammar Patterns

collection + of + plural noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with a possessive noun (the museum's collection, his stamp collection) or with 'of' to specify what is collected.

Common Mistakes

I have a set of old stamps from my grandfather.' (when meaning gathered items).
I have a collection of old stamps from my grandfather.
'set' suggests matching items designed to go together; 'collection' fits personally gathered items.

2. Money contributed by multiple people toward a shared goal, such as supporting a

2.nounB1
Definition

Money contributed by multiple people toward a shared goal, such as supporting a charity or assisting a religious group.

Example

The church collection raised enough money to fix the old roof before winter.

church collection / charity collection

Leila dropped her donation into the charity collection box at the school entrance.

collocation: collection box

Common collocations
  • church collection
  • charity collection
  • collection box
  • collection plate
  • collection for
Synonyms
  • donation

    donation is a single gift; collection is the total gathered from multiple people

  • offering

    specifically religious; money given during a church service

Grammar Patterns

collection + for + purpose

3. A number of people or things that are together in one place but may not be simil

3.nounB1
Definition

A number of people or things that are together in one place but may not be similar to each other.

Example

A strange collection of objects filled the dusty shelves of the old shop.

a [adjective] collection of [things] — mixed group

The party guests were an interesting collection of artists, writers, and local musicians.

collection of + people (mixed types)

Common collocations
  • odd collection
  • strange collection
  • varied collection
  • interesting collection
  • collection of people
Synonyms
  • group

    neutral; does not suggest variety or oddness like 'collection' does in this sense

  • assortment

    focuses on variety of items rather than people

  • mixture

    emphasizes that items are different from each other

Grammar Patterns

a/this/that + collection + of + plural noun

Usage Note

Often used with an adjective (a strange collection, an odd collection, a varied collection) to emphasize how mixed or unusual the group is.

Common Mistakes

There was a collection of people waiting for the bus.' (neutral situation).
There was a strange collection of people at the bus stop.
use 'group' for a neutral gathering; reserve 'collection' for groups that feel noticeably mixed or diverse.

4. A group of fresh garments and accessories that a fashion designer creates and of

4.nounB1
Definition

A group of fresh garments and accessories that a fashion designer creates and offers for sale, usually for one season of the year.

Example

Hana's spring collection featured bright colours and lightweight linen fabrics.

spring/summer/autumn/winter + collection

The designer's new collection sold out within hours of the fashion show.

Common collocations
  • spring collection
  • summer collection
  • autumn collection
  • winter collection
  • designer collection
  • fashion collection
Synonyms
  • line

    less formal; 'line' can refer to any range of products, not just seasonal fashion

  • range

    broader than 'collection'; can apply to any product category, not just clothing

Grammar Patterns

season + collection

designer's + collection

Usage Note

Subject of discussion is usually a named designer or fashion house. Often preceded by a season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) or a year.

5. The action of retrieving items from a location where they have been left, or the

5.nounB2
Definition

The action of retrieving items from a location where they have been left, or the task of assembling scattered things into a single place.

Example

Garbage collection happens every Tuesday morning in our neighbourhood.

garbage/rubbish/refuse + collection

Rohan waited for the mail collection at the post office counter before lunch.

mail collection / post collection

Common collocations
  • garbage collection
  • rubbish collection
  • mail collection
  • data collection
  • waste collection
  • ticket collection
  • collection point
Synonyms
  • pickup

    less formal, more common in American English for mail or garbage

  • gathering

    emphasizes bringing together rather than taking away

Grammar Patterns

collection + of + noun

adj + collection

Usage Note

Commonly used as an uncountable noun in technical contexts (data collection, waste collection). When countable, it refers to one instance of the activity (three collections per week).

Common Mistakes

The mail pickup is at three o'clock.' (acceptable but American).
The mail collection is at three o'clock.
'collection' is the standard term in British English for scheduled gathering of mail or rubbish; 'pickup' is informal or American.

6. A book, recording, or other publication that brings together several poems, shor

6.nounB2
Definition

A book, recording, or other publication that brings together several poems, short stories, songs, or other creative works.

Example

Kofi published a collection of short stories about life in Accra last year.

collection of short stories / poems / songs

The library has a new collection of poetry by contemporary Taiwanese writers.

Common collocations
  • collection of stories
  • collection of poems
  • collection of songs
  • poetry collection
  • short story collection
Synonyms
  • anthology

    specifically a collection of literary works by multiple authors; 'collection' can be by one author or multiple

  • compilation

    broader than 'collection'; can apply to any media and often implies material taken from various sources

  • album

    used for music collections on a single recording

Grammar Patterns

collection + of + plural noun (stories, poems, songs)

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a group of items, but they differ in how the grouping happens. A 'set' is a planned group of items designed to go together — a tea set comes with matching cups and a pot; you do not build it over time. An 'assortment' highlights variety: a box of chocolates is an assortment of different flavours, whereas a 'collection' suggests personal choice and care. An 'accumulation' is neutral and often accidental — dust accumulates; you do not collect it by choice. An 'array' focuses on visual display: the shop window has an array of colourful dresses. For personal hobby items gathered deliberately over time — stamps, coins, books — 'collection' is the correct word. 'I have a collection of vintage postcards from Japan' is natural; 'I have an accumulation of postcards' sounds accidental, and 'I have a set of postcards' sounds as if they came packaged together. Teachers and examiners expect 'collection' for this meaning of deliberately gathered objects of the same type.

set ↗assortment ↗accumulation ↗array ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in [someone's] collection
  • part of a collection
  • add to a collection

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'collection' comes from Latin 'collectio', meaning 'a gathering together'. This was formed from the verb 'colligere' (com- 'together' + legere 'to gather, choose'). It passed into Old French as 'collection' and then into Middle English. The sense of a group of objects gathered by one person appeared in the 1500s, while the meaning 'a set of new clothes by a designer' became common in the 1900s with the modern fashion industry.