A collection is a group of things that have been gathered together, often because they are similar or interesting. It can be personal, like a collection of coins, or public, like a museum collection.
“Collection” comes from Latin “collectio,” meaning “a gathering,” from “colligere” (to gather together). It entered English through French and Latin in the Middle Ages.
A collection is more than a pile; it’s a gathering with intention—someone decided these things belong together. That’s why museum collections can shape culture: they silently say, “These are the things that matter.”
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