Chrestomatheia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An anthology of literary works or passages chosen for their educational value in teaching language or literature
2. A collection of excerpts or selections from various texts intended for study, particularly for illustrative purposes
3. A curated compilation of selected writings that serve as instructional material for learners in a specific subject area

Etymology: Jeremy Bentham, the English philosopher of utilitarianism, used this Greek-derived term as the title of his plan for practical, useful education. The word joins "khrēstos," meaning useful or good, with "manthanein," meaning to learn. Bentham's title pointed to learning that serves a purpose, and the same idea carried over to the sense of a collection of passages chosen to teach a language or literature. The roots are ancient even though the English use is more recent. "Khrēstos" was a common Greek adjective for serviceable or worthy, and "manthanein" is also the source of "mathematics." The modern sense of an anthology of instructive extracts grew from that core meaning of learning that is put to good use.

Synonyms: reader, anthology, compilation