compile

verb

com·​pile kəm-ˈpī(-ə)l 

compiled; compiling

transitive verb

1

: to compose out of materials from other documents

compile a statistical chart

2

: to collect and edit into a volume

compile a book of poems

3

: to build up gradually

compiled a record of four wins and two losses

4

: to run (something, such as a program) through a compiler

Synonyms

• anthologize
• collect

Examples of compile in a Sentence

He compiled a book of poems.

She compiled a list of names.

They took the best submissions and compiled them in a single issue of the magazine.

We compiled our findings in the report.

Recent Examples on the Web

Around 14,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal each year, according to figures compiled by Statista. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

This can be seen in the table below, which was compiled before this weekend’s round of matches. —Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

On average, about 38% of the contiguous 48 states has an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day, according to 21 years of data compiled by NOAA. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024

There are a number of terms that appear in both this article and other online discussions of the Spelling Bee; a glossary of those terms compiled by Monicat, a Times reader, can be found below. —New York Times Games, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French compiler, from Latin compilare to plunder

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

compile

verb

com·​pile kəm-ˈpīl 

compiled; compiling

1

: to collect into a volume or list

compile a book of poems

2

: to put together in a new form out of materials from other books or documents

compile a history of India

3

: to translate (as a computer program) with a compiler