conglomerate

American  

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

noun

conglomerates plural

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

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• conglomerates
  plural

Participles

• conglomerating
  present
• conglomerated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• conglomerate
  simple
• conglomerates
  simple
• have conglomerated
  perfect
• has conglomerated
  perfect
• am conglomerating
  progressive
• are conglomerating
  progressive
• is conglomerating
  progressive
• have been conglomerating
  perfect progressive
• has been conglomerating
  perfect progressive

Past

• conglomerated
  simple
• had conglomerated
  perfect
• was conglomerating
  progressive
• were conglomerating
  progressive
• had been conglomerating
  perfect progressive

Future

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

Conglomerate SGH earlier this year bid for steelmaker BlueScope, which rejected the offer as insufficient.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

And that’s how the Conglomerate came into the conversation.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2023

Key to the topography is the underlying rock, a durable aggregate called Shawangunk Conglomerate.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

Conglomerate Asia World, blacklisted for alleged ties to Burma’s military, welcomed Obama’s pledge to lift sanctions.

From Time • Sep. 16, 2016

Conglomerate originating in this way is friction conglomerate or Reibungsbreccia.

From The Geography of the Region about Devils Lake and the Dalles of the Wisconsin by Atwood, Wallace W.

Related Words

• cartel
• chain
• group
• syndicate