A more thorough explanation:

A compilation is a type of work that is created by collecting and organizing preexisting materials or data in a way that creates an original work of authorship. This means that the compilation itself is protected by copyright, even if the individual pieces within it are not.

For example, a music album is a compilation because it is made up of individual songs that have their own copyrights, but the album as a whole is a new work that is protected by copyright as well.

However, a compilation of mere facts, such as a phone book, cannot be copyrighted because there is no creative or original act involved in selecting and arranging the information.

It's important to note that the creator of a compilation only owns the copyright to the compilation itself, not the individual pieces within it. They must also obtain permission from the copyright holders of the individual pieces before creating the compilation.

Examples of compilations include:

• A cookbook that is made up of recipes from various sources
• A movie that is made up of clips from other movies
• A database that is created by compiling information from various sources

These examples illustrate the definition of a compilation because they are all works that are created by collecting and organizing preexisting materials in a way that creates a new work of authorship.