collation.

1. The comparison of texts or records to identify differences or check completeness.

2. The gathering of separate items into a defined sequence or collection.

3. Rules for comparing and ordering text values, especially in a database.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• collation of manuscripts
• textual collation

On the page

Collation of the manuscripts revealed an omitted paragraph.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Usually uncountable; no ordinary plural in this sense. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation, evaluation. Commonness: moderately common.