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compilation

n.
US //ˌkɑmpəˈɫeɪʃən// UK //kˌɒmpɪlˈeɪʃən// com·pi·la·tion
  1. 1 a collection of items (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a book, CD, or list that is made by putting together different pieces of information or music.

    a work, such as a book or record, composed of materials gathered from various sources. Countable in this sense.

    Example

    The band released a compilation of their greatest hits from the last ten years.

    Example

    The editor spent months working on a compilation of nineteenth-century poetry, selecting only the most influential works from that era.
  2. 2 the act of gathering (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the process of collecting information or items from different places to create something new.

    the act or process of compiling or gathering together from various sources. Often uncountable.

    Example

    The compilation of the annual report took the team several weeks of hard work.

    Example

    The compilation of such a massive database required the cooperation of several international research departments over a five-year period.
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  1. 3 computing process (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    the process where a computer turns instructions written by a person into a language the machine can understand.

    the translation of source code into object code or machine language by a compiler.

    Example

    The program failed during compilation because of a small error in the code.

    Example

    Optimising the compilation process can significantly reduce the time it takes for the software to execute complex mathematical functions.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general process.

Origin

English compile + -ation, from Middle French, from Latin compilatio (“a raking together, a plundering, a collection of documents”).

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