rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycollationComparison for differences
noun

collation

The comparison of texts or records to check for differences.

Careful collation of the two drafts reveals several missing sentences.

Etymology
colLatintogether
+latLatincarry
+ionLatinaction

Latin con- and ferre express bringing together. Collation brings separate texts or records together for comparison, so their agreements, differences, or errors can be identified.

More examples

  • Collation of the payroll records reveals a difference in reported hours.
  • The editor requests a collation of the original manuscript and the printed edition.
  • Independent collations confirm that the copies differ in only three places.

Forms

collation · collations

collate verb — Compare texts or records for differences.

Similar words

comparison
Comparison is broader and need not involve texts or records.
cross-checking
Cross-checking tests information against another source, usually to confirm accuracy.