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amalgamate
verb
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Amalgamate Can Be Used Technically and Generally
The noun amalgam derives, by way of Middle French, from Medieval Latin amalgama. It was first used in the 15th century with the meaning "a mixture of mercury and another metal." (Today, you are likely to encounter this sense in the field of dentistry; amalgams can be used for filling holes in teeth.) Use of amalgam broadened over time to include any mixture of elements, and by the 18th century the word was also being applied figuratively, as in "an amalgam of citizens." The verb amalgamate has been in use since the latter half of the 1500s. It too can be used either technically, implying the creation of an alloy of mercury, or more generally for the formation of any compound or combined entity.
Synonyms
mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole.
mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity.
mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active.
commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling.
blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture.
merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole.
coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity.
amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities.
fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product.
Examples of amalgamate in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amalgamate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Amalgamate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amalgamate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
amalgamate
verbMedical Definition
amalgamate
transitive verb
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