assemblage
/əˈsɛm.blɪdʒ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A group of things or people gathered or put together. It often suggests a loose collection, not a neat or formal set.
- The room held an assemblage of old books.
- An assemblage of artists came to the opening.
- The museum displayed an assemblage of coins.
Adinary Nuance
Assemblage is close to group, collection, and gathering, but it feels more formal and descriptive. Use assemblage when you want to stress many separate things brought together. It often sounds more literary, academic, or artistic than everyday words like group or bunch.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tập hợp
- Spanish
- conjunto
- Chinese
- 集合
- Japanese
- 集合体
- Korean
- 집합체
Etymology
Assemblage came into English from French in the 1600s. It is linked to the verb assemble, from Latin roots meaning “to put together.”
Common phrases
an assemblage of objectsan assemblage of peoplea strange assemblageartistic assemblage
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is assemblage a common everyday word?
- No. It is less common in speech and more common in formal or academic writing.
- What is the difference between assemblage and collection?
- Collection suggests items gathered together. Assemblage often sounds more formal and may suggest they were arranged together.
- Can I use assemblage for people?
- Yes, but it sounds formal. People usually say group or crowd in everyday English.
- Is assemblage used in art?
- Yes. In art, it can mean a work made from different objects joined together.