# collage

/kəˈɫɑʒ/ (US) · /kɒlˈɑːʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collage
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. visual art

noun · CEFR B1

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

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

- The children made a colorful collage using old magazines and glue.
- The artist's latest collage juxtaposes vintage newsprint with vibrant silk fragments to comment on the fragility of historical memory.

### 2. a collection of things

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The documentary was a collage of interviews and old home videos.
- The novel functions as a literary collage, weaving together diary entries, police reports, and lyrical prose to tell a non-linear story.

## Examples

- The children made a colorful collage using old magazines.
- Her latest exhibition features a large collage of family photos and handwritten letters from the 1940s.
- The documentary presents a visual collage of archival footage and modern interviews to illustrate the city's rapid industrial transformation over the last century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.