Meaning & use
assemblage
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableformal
A group of people or things that have been brought or have come together in one place.
Grammar: Takes a: an assemblage of guests; often followed by of.
Patterns
- an assemblage of something
An odd assemblage of antiques filled the shop window.
The hall held a large assemblage of scholars from many countries.
Her bookshelf was a strange assemblage of novels, manuals and maps.
nouncountabletechnical
An artwork made by joining found objects and materials into a three-dimensional piece.
Grammar: Used for art: the artist built an assemblage.
Patterns
- an assemblage of something
- make an assemblage
The museum showed an assemblage of rusted tools and bicycle parts.
He built a striking assemblage from driftwood and old keys.
Her latest assemblage uses broken dolls and cutlery.
noununcountablerare
The act of putting parts together to make something, or the state of being fitted together.
Grammar: Rare in this sense; assembly is more usual.
Patterns
- the assemblage of something
The assemblage of the engine took two days.
Careful assemblage of the model kit is part of the fun.
The factory manual explains the assemblage of each part.
Word forms
| plural | assemblages |
|---|
Common combinations
- assemblage of
- The museum displayed an assemblage of Roman coins.
- motley assemblage
- A motley assemblage of fans gathered outside the theater.
- artifact assemblage
- The archaeologists studied the artifact assemblage from the dig.
- vast assemblage
- A vast assemblage of buildings stood along the river.
- assemblage art
- Assemblage art uses everyday objects in new ways.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gathering
- Gathering is the plain everyday word for people meeting, while assemblage is more formal and can also mean things.
- collection
- Collection suggests items gathered on purpose and kept, whereas assemblage can mean a loosely brought-together group.
- assembly
- Assembly usually names an organized meeting or the act of building something, while assemblage stresses a mixed group.
- congregation
- Congregation applies mainly to people gathered for worship or a similar event.
Opposites
Word family
- assemble verb
- to gather or put together
- assembly noun
- a group meeting, or the process of putting parts together
- assembler noun
- a person or program that assembles
- reassemble verb
- to put together again
Commonly confused: assemblage or assembly?
assemblage vs assembly
Assembly is the standard word for a meeting or the building of something. Assemblage is rarer and stresses a varied group or an art form.
Practice
The sculptor's latest piece is an ___ of scrap metal, bottle caps and old clock parts.
Choose one answer.
Assemblage is an artwork made from joined objects. The other nouns look similar but have unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “assemblage”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.