collectables

IPA/kəlˈɛktəbəlz/
IPA/kəlˈɛktəbəlz/

collectables — noun

1. an item that people look for or keep because collectors think it is worth having

1.nounB2
Definition

an item that people look for or keep because collectors think it is worth having

Example

Adina found a rare train ticket among her grandfather's collectables.

rare item valued by collectors

The museum keeps its wartime collectables in a locked wooden cabinet.

Common collocations
  • rare collectables
  • display collectables
  • box of collectables
  • sell collectables
Synonyms
  • collectible

    same meaning; this spelling is especially common in American English and in catalogues

  • memorabilia

    often refers to items linked to famous people, teams, or events rather than hobby items in general

  • curio

    older-fashioned; often suggests a small unusual object rather than a mainstream collector's item

Grammar Patterns

box / cabinet of collectables

buy / sell collectables

Usage Note

Usually plural when you mean a group of collector's items. For one item, singular collectable is more common.

Common Mistakes

I bought a collectable from Paris for my aunt's birthday.
I bought a souvenir from Paris for my aunt's birthday.
A collectable is prized by collectors; a souvenir mainly helps you remember a trip.
The shelf was full of collections.
The shelf was full of collectables.
A collection is the whole group, while collectables are the individual items.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Collectable and collectible usually mean the same thing: an item that collectors want to own, often because it is rare, old, or linked to a popular subject. Collectible is the spelling many American shops and websites prefer, while collectable is common in British-style dictionaries. Memorabilia is narrower. It often points to objects connected with famous people, sports teams, films, or public events, such as signed shirts or concert tickets. Souvenir is different again because it mainly stresses personal memory of a trip or occasion, not collector value. Compare: a rare toy robot can be a collectable, a signed team scarf is memorabilia, and a shell from Okinawa is a souvenir.

collectable ↗collectible ↗memorabilia ↗souvenir ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Built in English from collect plus the suffix -able. It first described things worth collecting, and the noun use developed from that idea. Collectables is the plural form of collectable, with collectible as a common alternative spelling.