| chrestomathy |
| Definition: A collection of valued literary passages. |
| Example: A Mencken Chrestomathy (i.e., the best of H.L. Mencken). |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Greek khrestos, useful + matheia, learning. |
| Oxford English Dictionary: Its first citation is from 1832: "The chrestomathy and diamond edition of that living polyglot book of man." (Fraser's Magazine V. 171) |