I. kən-ˈgläm-rət, -ˈglä-mə- adjective
Etymology: Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare to roll together, from com- + glomerare to wind into a ball, from glomer-, glomus ball — more at clam
Date: 1572
: made up of parts from various sources or of various kinds
II. -ˈglä-mə-ˌrāt verb
( -at·ed ; -at·ing )
Date: 1642
intransitive verb
: to gather into a mass or coherent whole
numbers of dull people conglomerated round her — Virginia Woolf
transitive verb
: accumulate
• con·glom·er·a·tive -ˈgläm-rə-tiv, -ˈglä-mə-; -mə-ˌrā- adjective
• con·glom·er·a·tor -ˈglä-mə-ˌrā-tər noun
III. -ˈgläm-rət, -ˈglä-mə- noun
Date: 1818
1. : a composite mass or mixture ; especially : rock composed of rounded fragments varying from small pebbles to large boulders in a cement (as of hardened clay)
2. : a widely diversified corporation
• con·glom·er·at·ic kən-ˌglä-mə-ˈra-tik, ˌkän- adjective