conglomerate

American  

[kuhn-glom-er-it, kuhng-, kuhn-glom-uh-reyt, kuhng-] / kənˈglɒm ər ɪt, kəŋ-, kənˈglɒm əˌreɪt, kəŋ- /

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.

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adjective

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

2. consisting of heterogeneous parts or elements.

3. of or relating to a corporate conglomerate.

4. Geology. of the nature of a conglomerate.

verb (used with object)

conglomerates, present (3rd person singular) conglomerated, past participle, past conglomerating present participle

1. to bring together into a cohering mass.

2. to gather into a ball or rounded mass.

verb (used without object)

conglomerates, present (3rd person singular) conglomerated, past participle, past conglomerating present participle

1. to collect or cluster together.

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

conglomerate British  

noun

1. a thing composed of heterogeneous elements; mass

2. any coarse-grained sedimentary rock consisting of rounded fragments of rock embedded in a finer matrix Compare agglomerate

3. a large corporation consisting of a group of companies dealing in widely diversified goods, services, etc

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verb

1. to form into a cluster or mass

adjective

1. made up of heterogeneous elements; massed

2. (of sedimentary rocks) consisting of rounded fragments within a finer matrix

conglomerate Scientific  

/ kən-glŏm′ə-rāt′ /

1. 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.

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conglomerate Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unconglomerated
  adjective
• miniconglomerate
  noun
• superconglomerate
  noun
• pseudoconglomerate
  adjective
• conglomeratic
  adjective
• conglomeritic
  adjective
• deconglomerate
  verb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has conglomerated
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have conglomerated
  perfect
• has been conglomerating
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is conglomerating
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am conglomerating
  progressive 1st person singular
• conglomerating
  participle
• conglomerates
  singular 3rd person
• are conglomerating
  progressive
• have been conglomerating
  perfect progressive

Past

• had conglomerated
  perfect
• were conglomerating
  progressive plural
• was conglomerating
  progressive singular
• conglomerated
  participle
• conglomerated
  simple
• had been conglomerating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will conglomerate
  simple
• will have conglomerated
  perfect
• will have been conglomerating
  perfect progressive
• will be conglomerating
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of conglomerate

1565–75; < Latin conglomerātus (past participle of conglomerāre ), equivalent to con- con- + glomer- (stem of glomus ) ball of yarn + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

A conglomerate is a group of things, especially companies, put together to form one. If you are rich enough to buy a TV network, a record company, several newspapers, and a radio station, you too can own a media conglomerate. The root of conglomerate is glomus, a Latin word for “ball.” So think of a conglomerate as a bunch of different things balled together. Before it came to describe giant corporations, a conglomerate was a rock formed from different kinds of minerals. Conglomerate can also be used as a verb — like when your media companies conglomerated successfully.

Example Sentences

Without support of a media conglomerate, for which their division is a troublesome pimple, they know the economics fall apart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

It’s a process to integrate these brands into a larger conglomerate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Indexation, lockups, and governance are also interesting topics, but aren’t all that important for valuing the AI-space conglomerate.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The offering would value Elon Musk’s rocket and artificial-intelligence conglomerate at a whopping $1.77 trillion.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

The federal government, representing the Osage Nation, had filed a lawsuit against Enel, the Italian energy conglomerate that owned the wind farm.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• cartel
• chain
• group
• syndicate