collate
UK[kəˈleɪt]US[kəˈleɪt]
v
to collect and arrange information, pages, etc. in the correct order.
v
to compare texts or data carefully in order to find differences or similarities.
Morpheme Breakdown
col
late
col
together
late
carried, brought
Etymology
the word 'collate' originates from the latin verb 'collatus', the past participle of 'conferre', which means 'to bring together' or 'to compare'. 'conferre' itself is a compound of 'com-' (together) and 'ferre' (to carry, bring). the term entered english via late latin 'collatus' and medieval latin 'collat-', used in the context of comparing texts and arranging documents. the core logic of the word has remained remarkably consistent: from the literal act of gathering and carrying items together, it evolved to signify the systematic comparison and ordering of information, reflecting its scholarly and administrative applications.
Analysis
Structure: col (together) + late (carried, brought)
col- (variant of 'com-'), a latin prefix meaning 'together' or 'with'. -late, from the latin root 'latus', the past participle of 'ferre' meaning 'to carry' or 'to bring'.
Examples
please collate the survey results into a single report.
the printer can automatically collate and staple the pages of your document.
historians must collate evidence from multiple sources to build an accurate account.