agglomeration

An agglomeration is a messy cluster or jumbled collection of various elements.

Agglomeration is often used to refer to groupings of miscellaneous things—such as various types of objects or even people—into a single (though often somewhat messy) unit.

The similar word conglomeration can be used to mean just about the same thing, but it doesn’t always imply a sense of messiness like agglomeration usually does.

Agglomeration can also refer to the process of agglomerating—gathering into a cluster or mass.

Agglomeration is also used in a more specific way in the context of computer programming to refer to a process in which certain tasks are grouped together in code.

Example: I forgot that the art project was due today, so my collage is really just an agglomeration of things I found around the house.

The first records of the word agglomeration come from the 1600s. It ultimately derives from the Latin agglomerāre, from glomerāre, meaning “to wind into a ball,” from glomus, meaning “ball” or “mass.”

An agglomeration is a mass of different things that have been lumped together. A floating mass of flotsam and trash in the ocean is an agglomeration. A machine cobbled together from spare parts is an agglomeration. A dish made from all the leftovers in the fridge could be called an agglomeration—especially when they don’t quite go together (though that quiche and meatball sandwich was pretty delicious). The United States is sometimes described as an agglomeration of different peoples from different places.

What are some other forms related to agglomeration?

• agglomerate (verb, adjective, noun)

What are some synonyms for agglomeration?

• agglomerate (when used as a noun)
• cluster
• heap
• jumble
• mass
• pile

What are some words that share a root or word element with agglomeration? 

• conglomeration

What are some words that often get used in discussing agglomeration?

• collection
• cluster
• group
• messy
• jumbled
• task
• data

What are some words agglomeration may be commonly confused with?

• conglomeration

The word agglomeration often implies messiness, but this isn’t always negative.

Lol my dudes, Texas is one of the most intensely urbanized states in the US, basically a single vast "Texas Triangle" urban agglomeration with a dusty backyard.

— Jacob Bacharach (@jakebackpack) September 4, 2019

Urban density provides “economies of agglomeration”: fixed costs of infra are spread over more businesses and households, reducing costs.

— Jennifer Keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) March 1, 2015

My recent order was fairly mild, but my final look is going to be a terrifying agglomeration of weeb cosplay, scene kid, emo, and punk. Just you wait for my final form.

— SynthRose (@synth_rose) July 5, 2020

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of agglomeration?

A. cluster
B. extensive
C. jumble
D. mass