What does collect mean?
To collect is to gather things, people, or even thoughts from scattered sources into a single place. It covers both physical gathering — collecting firewood, collecting the children from school — and gradual accumulation over time, as when a collector builds a set of stamps or coins. By extension it means to obtain what is owed, such as rent or a debt, and figuratively to recover composure, as in "she stopped to collect herself." The word derives from Latin colligere, "to gather together," via Old French, entering English in the Middle Ages. A related but distinct noun, "collect," names a brief congregational prayer in Christian liturgy. Common collocations include "collect data," "collect evidence," and "collect rent." Versatile and neutral in tone, the verb appears equally at home in everyday conversation, academic writing about research methods, and financial contexts.
To gather together things or people from scattered places; to accumulate items over time, especially as a hobby; to obtain payment owed; or to regain one's composure.
"The museum collects works by nineteenth-century landscape painters."
Transitive in most uses; "collect oneself" is reflexive and idiomatic.
A short prayer, especially one in a Christian liturgy, that gathers together the intentions of the congregation.
"The priest opened the service with the collect for the day."
Plural pronounced /ˈkɒlɪkts/ or /kəˈlɛkts/; confined to religious contexts.
(Of a telephone call) to be paid for by the person receiving the call.
"He phoned his parents collect from the airport."
Chiefly North American; used attributively as in "a collect call."
Applies only to the noun sense (the liturgical prayer); the plural refers to multiple such prayers.
"The book contains collects for every Sunday of the year."
The word "collect" once meant something far more solemn — in church, a "collect" is still a short gathered prayer that sums up the day's worship.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of collect
Collect comes from Latin colligere, formed from com- ("together") plus legere ("to gather, pick"), which passed through Old French collecter and entered Middle English in the late medieval period. The same Latin root gives us collection, collective, and select. In ecclesiastical Latin, collecta referred to a gathering of people, and this gave rise to the noun "collect" for a gathered prayer said on behalf of the congregation — a sense preserved in the Book of Common Prayer.
Related word forms
How collect is actually used
"Collect oneself" is an idiomatic use meaning to regain calm or composure. The sense of picking someone up is common in British English ("I'll collect you at eight") but less so in American English, where "pick up" is preferred. The noun "collect" (a prayer) and the telephone sense are specialized and largely confined to formal religious and North American telephony contexts respectively.
Easily confused with collect
Collate means to arrange pages or documents in a proper order, whereas collect means to bring items together from different places.