agglomerate

1 of 3

verb

ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈglä-mə-ˌrāt How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
agglomerated; agglomerating
Synonyms of agglomeratenext

transitive verb

: to gather into a ball, mass, or cluster

agglomerate

2 of 3

adjective

ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈglä-mə-rət How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
: gathered into a ball, mass, or cluster
specifically : clustered or growing together but not coherent
an agglomerate flower head

agglomerate

3 of 3

noun

ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈglä-mə-rət How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
1
: a rock composed of volcanic fragments of various sizes and degrees of angularity
2
: a jumbled mass or collection : agglomeration

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of agglomerate in a Sentence

Verb breakfast cereal consisting of agglomerated clusters of wheat, rice, and nuts stays crunchy in milk Noun the Holy Roman Empire was an ever-varying agglomerate of central European states that managed to survive for 1,000 years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
This theory makes definite predictions about the distribution of dark matter, but leaves great uncertainty in the rather messy physics whereby gas agglomerates and converts into stars. — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Latin agglomerātus, past participle of agglomerāre "to heap up, mass together, join forces," from ad- ad- + glomerāre "to form into a ball, collect into a mass," verbal derivative of glomer-, glomus "ball-shaped mass" — more at clam entry 1

Adjective

borrowed from Latin agglomerātus, past participle of agglomerāre "to heap up, mass together" — more at agglomerate entry 1

Noun

borrowed from Latin agglomerātus, past participle of agglomerāre "to heap up, mass together" — more at agglomerate entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1632, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1805, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of agglomerate was in 1632

Rhymes for agglomerate

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Browse Nearby Words

agglomerant
agglomerate
agglomeratic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Agglomerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agglomerate. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

agglomerate

1 of 2 verb
ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈgläm-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
agglomerated; agglomerating
: to gather into a ball, mass, or cluster

agglomerate

2 of 2 noun
ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈgläm-ə-rət How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
1
: a jumbled mass or collection
2
: a rock composed of volcanic pieces of various sizes

Medical Definition

agglomerate

1 of 2 transitive verb
ag·​glom·​er·​ate ə-ˈgläm-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
agglomerated; agglomerating
: to gather into a ball, mass, or cluster
agglomeration
ə-ˌgläm-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
noun

agglomerate

2 of 2 noun
ag·​glom·​er·​ate -rət How to pronounce agglomerate (audio)
: a jumbled mass or collection
probably a virus or agglomerates of a virus— E. A. Steinhaus

More from Merriam-Webster on agglomerate

Nglish: Translation of agglomerate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about agglomerate

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