Chrestomathies

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɹɛstəʊmæθiz/

Definitions

1. A collection or anthology of selected literary works, often used for educational purposes
2. A curated selection of texts chosen to illustrate specific themes, genres, or styles for the study and analysis of literature
3. A compilation of excerpts from various authors or works, serving as a resource for learning and teaching literature

Etymology: The Greek word "khrēstomátheia" combined "khrēstós," meaning "useful" or "good," with "mátheia," from "manthánein," meaning "to learn." Its sense was "desire for learning," and by extension a book of useful knowledge or selected passages, so the modern meaning of a compiled anthology was already present in the Greek idea of a handbook for study. The word reached English through New Latin "chrēstomathia," a scholarly coinage that carried the Greek form into the learned Latin of early modern European scholarship. English took it as "chrestomathy," and the plural "chrestomathies" simply follows the usual pattern for words ending in "-y" after a consonant, changing the ending to "-ies."

Synonyms: anthologies, collections, compilations, readings, excerpts