conglomerate - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·glom·er·ate

Audio Help [n., adj. kuh

n-glom-er-it, kuh

ng-; v. kuh

n-glom-uh-reyt, kuh

ng-] Pronunciation Key noun, adjective, verb, -at·ed, -at·ing.

–noun

1.	anything composed of heterogeneous materials or elements.

2.	a corporation consisting of a number of subsidiary companies or divisions in a variety of unrelated industries, usually as a result of merger or acquisition.

3.	Geology. a rock consisting of pebbles or the like embedded in a finer cementing material; consolidated gravel.

–adjective

4.	gathered into a rounded mass; consisting of parts so gathered; clustered.

5.	consisting of heterogeneous parts or elements.

6.	of or pertaining to a corporate conglomerate.

7.	Geology. of the nature of a conglomerate.

–verb (used with object)

8.	to bring together into a cohering mass.

9.	to gather into a ball or rounded mass.

–verb (used without object)

10.	to collect or cluster together.

11.	(of a company) to become part of or merge with a conglomerate.

[Origin: 1565–75; < L conglomerātus (ptp. of conglomerāre), equiv. to con- con- + glomer- (s. of glomus) ball of yarn + -ātus -ate¹

]

—Related forms

con·glom·er·at·ic

Audio Help [kuh

n-glom-uh-rat-ik, kuh

ng-] Pronunciation Key, con·glom·er·it·ic

Audio Help [kuh

n-glom-uh-rit-ik, kuh

ng-] Pronunciation Key, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
conglomerate

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·glom·er·ate Audio Help   (kən-glŏm'ə-rāt') Pronunciation Key
v.   con·glom·er·at·ed, con·glom·er·at·ing, con·glom·er·ates

v.   intr.

To form or gather into a mass or whole.
To form into or merge with a corporate conglomerate.

v. tr.
To cause to form into a mass or whole.

n. (-ər-ĭt)

A corporation made up of a number of different companies that operate in diversified fields.
A collected heterogeneous mass; a cluster: a city-suburban conglomerate; a conglomerate of color, passion, and artistry.
Geology A rock consisting of pebbles and gravel embedded in cement.

adj. (-ər-ĭt)

Gathered into a mass; clustered.
Geology Made up of loosely cemented heterogeneous material.

[Latin conglomerāre, conglomerāt- : com-, com- + glomerāre, to wind into a ball (from glomus, glomer-, ball).]

con·glom'er·at'ic (-ə-rāt'ĭk), con·glom'er·it'ic (-ə-rĭt'ĭk) adj., con·glom'er·a'tor n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
conglomerate

1572, from L. conglomeratus, pp. of conglomerare "to roll together," from com- "together" + glomerare "to gather into a ball," from glomus (gen. glomeris) "a ball." Noun meaning "large business group" is from 1967.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

conglomerate
adjective
1.	composed of heterogeneous elements gathered into a mass; "the conglomerate peoples of New England"
noun
1.	a composite rock made up of particles of varying size [syn: pudding stone]
2.	a group of diverse companies under common ownership and run as a single organization
verb
1.	collect or gather; "Journals are accumulating in my office"; "The work keeps piling up" [syn: accumulate]

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

conglomerate Audio Help (kən-glŏm'ə-rāt') Pronunciation Key
A coarse-grained sedimentary rock consisting of round rock fragments cemented together by hardened silt, clay, calcium carbonate, or a similar material. The fragments (known as clasts) have a diameter of at least 2 mm (0.08 inches), vary in composition and origin, and may include pebbles, cobbles, boulders, or fossilized seashells. Conglomerates often form through the transportation and deposition of sediments by streams, alluvial fans, and glaciers.

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
conglomerate [(kuhn-glom-uhr-uht)]

A corporation with diversified holdings that are acquired through mergers and acquisitions but that are not necessarily related.

[Chapter:] Business and Economics

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conglomerate

Con*glom"er*ate\, a. [L. conglomeratus, p. p. of conglomerare to roll together; con- + glomerare to wind into a ball. See Glomerate.]

1. Gathered into a ball or a mass; collected together; concentrated; as, conglomerate rays of light.

Beams of light when they are multiplied and conglomerate. --Bacon.

Fluids are separated in the liver and the other conglobate and conglomerate glands. --Cheyne.

2. (Bot.) Closely crowded together; densly clustered; as, conglomerate flowers. --Gray.

3. (Geol.) Composed of stones, pebbles, or fragments of rocks, cemented together.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conglomerate

Con*glom"er*ate\, n. 1. That which is heaped together in a mass or conpacted from various sources; a mass formed of fragments; collection; accumulation.

A conglomerate of marvelous anecdotes, marvelously heaped together. --Trench.

2. (Geol.) A rock, composed or rounded fragments of stone cemented together by another mineral substance, either calcareous, siliceous, or argillaceous; pudding stone; -- opposed to agglomerate. See Breccia.

A conglomerate, therefore, is simply gravel bound together by a cement. --Lyell.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conglomerate

Con*glom"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conglomerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Conglomerating.] To gather into a ball or round body; to collect into a mass.

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