compile
v.v. to collect information from different places and put it together into one list, book, or report. In computing, it also means changing a program's code into a form the computer can run.
v. to produce a single list, report, or book by assembling information from various sources; in a computing context, to translate source code into executable machine code. Transitive — requires a direct object.
I need to compile a list of all our customers.
The research team spent several months trying to compile all the data from the field studies into a single comprehensive report.
Before the software can be distributed to end users, the developer must compile the source code into a binary format that is compatible with the target operating system.
From Middle English compilen, from Old French compiler, from Latin compīlō (“to plunder”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In technical contexts, it is often used without an indirect object.
- Verbcompile
- Nouncompilation
- Nouncompiler
Last updated May 2, 2026