collage

noun

col·​lage kə-ˈläzh 

kȯ-, 

kō-

1

a

: an artistic composition made of various materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface

cut pictures from magazines to make a collage

b

: a creative work that resembles such a composition in incorporating various materials or elements

The album is a collage of several musical styles.

2

: the art of making collages

an artist known for her use of collage

3

: hodgepodge

a collage of ideas

4

: a work (such as a film) having disparate scenes in rapid succession without transitions

collage transitive verb

collagist

kə-ˈlä-zhist 

kȯ-, 

kō-

noun

Synonyms of collage

• jumble
• medley
• variety
• assortment
• montage

Examples of collage in a Sentence

We made collages in art class.

an artist known for her use of collage

The album is a collage of several musical styles.

Recent Examples on the Web

Create a cheerful canvas collage inspired by artist Robin Anne Cooper. —Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026

His life has come to the reader in bits and pieces, a collage, or, like his poems, a cut up. —Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026

In-person collage-making for those grieving. —Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026

At dawn, about 75 workers began pulling in huge sections of pink polypropylene surrounding the two northernmost islands in the artist Christo’s Biscayne Bay collage. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, gluing, from coller to glue, from colle glue, from Vulgar Latin *colla, from Greek kolla

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for collage

• barrage
• corsage
• dressage
• garage
• massage
• mirage
• montage
• swaraj
• arbitrage
• camouflage
• entourage
• sabotage

Kids Definition

collage

noun

col·​lage kə-ˈläzh 

kȯ-, 

kō-

: a work of art made by gluing pieces of different materials to a flat surface

Etymology

from French collage "gluing," from coller "to glue"