completism

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noun

A desire to obtain a complete collection of some type of thing.

Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nouncompletism (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA desire to obtain a complete collection of some type of thing.

    Completism is a form of lunacy not without honor.

    1986, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, “Over Rough Terrain”, in Making Book, published 1994, →ISBN, page 82
    2 more examples

    A novel type of completism is Rothman's record and determination of attending every major convention held in this country.

    1944, John Bristol Speer, Fancyclopedia, Completist

    Caruso's records are such an important body of material that this is one case where "completism" is justified.

    1992, Fanfare, volume 15, number 5, page 294

Origin

From complete + -ism. Originally from fanspeak, the slang of science fiction fans.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

completism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/completism

MLA

“completism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/completism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “completism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/completism.

Source: completism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.