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.
—Related forms
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
–adjective
–verb (used with object)
–verb (used without object)
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 8. | to bring together into a cohering mass. |
| 9. | to gather into a ball or rounded mass. |
| 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
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. |
conglomerate
To learn more about conglomerate visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| 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.
v. tr. To cause to form into a mass or whole. n. (-ər-ĭt)
adj. (-ər-ĭt)
[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. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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.
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| 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] |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
| 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. |
| The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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
| The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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