🗂️ A sorting machine 🔤 A sorting tool

collator

7.5

A software component that compares text to find the correct order in different languages

noun
/kəˈleɪtər/

Specialized

: comparador

Developers updated the collator to follow new Unicode collation rules across locales.

Examples

The library's collator compares strings correctly for sorting names in Spanish.
When indexing documents, the search engine used a collator to ensure consistent order.
The collator organizes the data efficiently.
Many collators are used in database management systems.
The library's collator compares strings correctly for sorting names in Spanish.
Developers updated the collator to follow new Unicode collation rules across locales.
When indexing documents, the search engine used a collator to ensure consistent order.

Synonyms

comparator

vscollator

Specialized

1 6.3

A function that checks two items to decide their order in a list

focuses on comparing text using local language rules rather than general element order

Surface Forms

collator singular

collators plural

Morphology

collator = collate (transparent) = collate + or

Productive agent/instrument formation from 'collate'; in computing it denotes a component that performs collation (locale-aware string comparison).

Etymology

Collator comes from the verb collate, built from Latin parts com- ('together') and -late ('bring'), so a collator is 'one who brings things together'. In computing, a collator 'brings' and compares text from different languages to decide the correct order for sorting.