collate

UK: /kɒˈleɪt/, /kəˈleɪt/

US: /kəˈleɪt, ˈkoʊleɪt, ˈkɑleɪt/

US: (kə lāt′, kō-, ko-, kō′lāt, kol′āt)

Inflections of 'collate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

collates

v 3rd person singular

collating

v pres p

collated

v past

collated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

col•late /kəˈleɪt, ˈkoʊleɪt, ˈkɑleɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to arrange (pages) in their proper order:
   Please collate these copies and staple them.
2. to compare (texts, etc.) critically:
   Collate our findings and see what similarities there are.

col•la•tor, n. [countable] See -lat-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

col•late  (kə lāt′, kō-, ko-, kō′lāt, kol′āt), v.t., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to gather or arrange in their proper sequence (the pages of a report, the sheets of a book, the pages of several sets of copies, etc.).
2. Printing [Bookbinding.] to verify the arrangement of (the gathered sheets of a book), usually by inspecting the signature at the foot of the first page of each sheet or the mark printed on the back of each sheet or on the spine of each signature.
3. to compare (texts, statements, etc.) in order to note points of agreement or disagreement.
4. [Bibliog.] to verify the number and order of the sheets of (a volume) as a means of determining its completeness.
5. Computing to merge (sequenced data from two or more data sets or files) to produce a new sequenced data set or file.
6. Religion [Eccles.] to present by collation, as to a benefice.

• Latin collātus (past participle of conferre to bring together), equivalent. to col- col-¹ + lā- (suppletive stem of ferre) + -tus past participle ending
• 1550–60

col•lat′a•ble, adj. 
col•la′tor, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

collate / kɒˈleɪt kə-/ verb (transitive)

1. to examine and compare (texts, statements, etc) in order to note points of agreement and disagreement
2. (in library work) to check the number and order of (the pages of a book)
3. to check the sequence of (the sections of a book) after gathering
4. a nontechnical word for gather9
5. (often followed by to) to appoint (an incumbent) to a benefice

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin collātus brought together (past participle of conferre to gather), from com- together + lātus, past participle of ferre to bring