# collect

> English word · Verb · IPA /kəˈlɛkt/ · frequency rank #3,802

## Definitions
1. To gather together; amass.
2. To get; particularly, get from someone.
3. To accumulate (a number of similar or related objects), particularly for a hobby or recreation.
4. To pick up or fetch
5. To form a conclusion; to deduce, infer. (Compare gather, get.)
6. To collect payments.
7. To come together in a group or mass.
8. To infer; to conclude.
9. To collide with or crash into (another vehicle or obstacle).

## Etymology
From Middle English collecten, a borrowing from Old French collecter, from Medieval Latin collectare (“to collect money”), from Latin collecta (“a collection of money, in Late Latin a meeting, assemblage, in Medieval Latin a tax, also an assembly for prayer, a prayer”), feminine of collectus, past participle of colligere, conligere (“to gather together, collect, consider, conclude, infer”), from com- (“together”) + legere (“to gather”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to gather, collect”).

## Easily confused with
- **college** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-college)
- **correct** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-correct)
- **connect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-connect)
- **Colleen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-colleen)
- **collected** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-collected)
- **collector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/collect-vs-collector)
- **Colbert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/colbert-vs-collect)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ccollect`, `clolect`, `colect`, `colelct`, `collcet`, `collecct`, `collectt`, `colletc`, `ocllect`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/collect