Chrestomathy
/krɛˈstɒməθi/noun
A selection of passages from a writer or literature, especially for study or instruction.
Did you know?It was coined in scholarly Greek as a term for an educational anthology, built from roots meaning “useful” and “learning,” so its magic is purely intellectual rather than occult.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
chrēstos
“useful, good, fit for use”
Ancient Greek
Greek
máthēma
“that which is learned; lesson, study, knowledge”
Late Greek
Greek
chrēstomátheia
“useful learning; a collection of instructive passages”
16th-17th Century
English
chrestomathy
“an anthology of selected literary passages for instruction”
Modern English
English
chrestomathy
“a collection of literary excerpts chosen for study or teaching”
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