English Reference
noun

collage

n.
US /kəˈɫɑʒ/ UK /kɒlˈɑːʒ/ col·lage UK spelling collages

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    a picture made by sticking pieces of different materials, such as paper, cloth, or photographs, onto a surface.

    a work of art created by affixing various materials—such as paper clippings, fabric, or found objects—to a backing or surface.

    Simple

    The children made a colorful collage using old magazines and glue.

    In context

    The artist's latest collage juxtaposes vintage newsprint with vibrant silk fragments to comment on the fragility of historical memory.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a collection of different things, like sounds, ideas, or images, put together to make something new.

    a diverse collection or combination of distinct elements, often used to describe abstract compositions in film, music, or literature.

    Simple

    The documentary was a collage of interviews and old home videos.

    In context

    The novel functions as a literary collage, weaving together diary entries, police reports, and lyrical prose to tell a non-linear story.


Unadapted borrowing from French collage. Doublet of collagen, colloid, and protocol.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated