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Origin of conglomerate

1565–75; <Latin conglomerātus (past participle of conglomerāre), equivalent to con-con- + glomer- (stem of glomus) ball of yarn + -ātus-ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM conglomerate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use conglomerate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for conglomerate

conglomerate

noun (kənˈɡlɒmərɪt)
a thing composed of heterogeneous elements; mass
any coarse-grained sedimentary rock consisting of rounded fragments of rock embedded in a finer matrixCompare agglomerate (def. 3)
a large corporation consisting of a group of companies dealing in widely diversified goods, services, etc
verb (kənˈɡlɒməˌreɪt)
to form into a cluster or mass
adjective (kənˈɡlɒmərɪt)
made up of heterogeneous elements; massed
(of sedimentary rocks) consisting of rounded fragments within a finer matrix

Word Origin for conglomerate

C16: from Latin conglomerāre to roll up, from glomerāre to wind into a ball, from glomus ball of thread
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for conglomerate

conglomerate
[ kən-glŏmə-rāt′ ]

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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for conglomerate

conglomerate
[ (kuhn-glom-uhr-uht) ]

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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