compile

verb

com·​pile kəm-ˈpī(-ə)l How to pronounce compile (audio)
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

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 She's been compiling all the bizarre things about her mother over the years. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 5 Apr. 2024 Decades of decisions From 1990 through 2023, voters cast ballots on 57 stadium and arena proposals across the country, approving 35 and rejecting 22, according to data compiled by Propheter. David A. Lieb, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2024 Iger was Disney’s public face for 15 years as chief executive before handing the job off to Chapek in 2020, a stretch in which Iger compiled a string of victories lauded in the entertainment industry and by Disney fans. David Hamilton, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024 The response was overwhelming, and even though the Getty eventually compiled its favorite entries into a book, winning the challenge was never the point. A.k. Whitney, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2024 Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2024 Below, The Hollywood Reporter has compiled comments made by former Nickelodeon actors following the release of Quiet on Set. Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Mar. 2024 Similar efforts in recent years failed in Colorado, Illinois and Maine, according to data compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024 Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of compile was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near compile

Cite this Entry

“Compile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compile. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

compile

verb
com·​pile kəm-ˈpīl How to pronounce compile (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on compile

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