Origin: Greek suffix -ology
Anthology has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
a collection of selected literary passages
"The professor assigned an anthology of selected literary passages to help us understand the evolution of modern poetry."
A collection of literary works, such as poems or short stories, especially a collection from various authors.
"The university library recently acquired an anthology featuring short stories by contemporary writers from around the globe."
In plain English: An anthology is a collection of different stories, poems, or songs put together by someone into one book.
"The library has an anthology of famous short stories that many students enjoy reading."
Usage: An anthology is specifically a curated selection of writings by different authors on similar themes rather than the complete works of a single writer. You will often find these collections organized in textbooks or published for readers who want to explore diverse voices within one genre.
The word "anthology" comes from the Ancient Greek anthología, meaning "flower-gathering," which was originally used by Meleager of Gadara around 60 BCE to describe a poetic garland. It entered English later as a title for collections of poetry, shifting from its literal floral sense to signify an assortment of literary works.