collection
UK[kəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n]US[kəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n]
n
a group of objects, often of the same type, that have been collected
n
the act or process of collecting things
n
a sum of money collected from several people, or the act of collecting it
Morpheme Breakdown
col
lect
ion
col
together
lect
gather
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'collection' originates from the Latin verb 'colligere', meaning 'to gather together', which is itself a compound of the prefix 'com-' (together) and the verb 'legere' (to gather, choose). This Latin root passed into Old French as 'collecter' before entering Middle English. The core semantic logic has remained remarkably consistent: the act of bringing items together into a group. The modern abstract meanings—from a group of objects to a sum of money—all stem from this fundamental concept of systematic gathering.
Analysis
Structure: col (together) + lect (gather) + ion (noun suffix)
col: Latin prefix, a form of 'com-' meaning 'together'.
lect: Latin root, from 'legere' meaning 'to gather, choose'.
ion: Latin suffix, forming nouns denoting action or condition.
Examples
She has an impressive collection of vintage stamps.
The collection of data for the research project took several months.
A collection will be taken at the end of the service for the local charity.