Definition of conglomerate
: made up of parts from various sources or of various kinds the conglomerate peoples of New England a conglomerate empire
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Origin and Etymology of conglomerate
Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare to roll together, from com- + glomerare to wind into a ball, from glomer-, glomus ball — more at clam
Other Botany Terms
Definition of conglomerate
conglomerated
;conglomerating
intransitive verb
: to gather into a mass or coherent whole Infinite numbers of dull people conglomerated round her … — Virginia Woolf
transitive verb
Examples of conglomerate in a Sentence
people conglomerated in the downtown streets for an impromptu victory celebration
over the years the town's discarded junk conglomerated at the bottom of the river
Recent Examples of conglomerate from the Web
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Last December, Seattle’s Westland Distillery struck a similar deal with French spirits conglomerate Remy Cointreau.
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Key Safety Systems is owned by Ningbo Joyson Electronic, a Chinese automotive parts conglomerate with three main divisions —- electronics and automation, automotive components and safety markets.
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And conglomerate Dalian Wanda is currently developing one of the largest movie production facilities in the world in Qingdao.
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Frenchman Vincent Bolloré, whose media conglomerate Vivendi SA spans music, TV and videogames.
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One possibility is that mergers among insurers will induce doctors and hospitals to conglomerate as well, which in turn will encourage greater consolidation in the insurance sector, said Diana Moss.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conglomerate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of conglomerate
1642
Definition of conglomerate
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 an international conglomerate of some 350 businesses
Examples of conglomerate in a Sentence
a news and entertainment conglomerate
Our small company must compete with the big conglomerates.
Recent Examples of conglomerate from the Web
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Hytrol’s state-of-the-art products are now used by companies ranging from Amazon.com to Office Depot to leading pharmaceutical, retail, food, and publishing conglomerates around the world.
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In 2015, though, two local breweries were sold to out-of-town conglomerates: Saint Archer to MillerCoors and Ballast Point to Constellation Brands.
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In 2015, though, two local breweries were sold to out-of-town conglomerates: Saint Archer to MillerCoors and Ballast Point to Constellation Brands.
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Some believe that the heads of the big conglomerates doing business with Pyongyang—a long-standing Chinese ally—are politically connected in Beijing.
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In the first half of 2017, the S&P 500 is up 8.2 percent, but five of the seven media conglomerates are underperforming that benchmark.
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The 5.5-inch Nokia 6 is the first new Nokia model to be sold in the US since Finnish conglomerate HMD Global took over the brand.
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Warren Buffett, the CEO of multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, got his start just like the rest of us, more or less.
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Led by truly wacko CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton), the Mirando Corporation is a conglomerate in serious need of PR help.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conglomerate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of conglomerate
1818
Other Geology Terms
anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale
Financial Definition of CONGLOMERATE
conglomerate
What It Is
A conglomerate is a corporation made up of several smaller, independently-run companies which may operate across several sectors and industries.
How It Works
Conglomerates are generally formed for two reasons: to diversify risk by participating in unrelated businesses or to expand a business within an industry to include suppliers and product purchasers.
Despite the possible benefits, conglomerates face the challenge of becoming so large that they are difficult to manage efficiently. This can lead to a lack of focus, which exacerbates managerial problems and reduces shareholder returns. This reason is why conglomerates often "spin off" subsidiaries into stand-alone entities. Corporations may also fail to realize the anticipated cost savings associated with acquisitions.
Why It Matters
The motto "the parts are worth more than the whole" is the idea behind conglomerates. They are typically very diversified businesses (although some conglomerates stick to one or two industries). This diversification and the efficiencies brought about by shared or reduced costs often make conglomerates less risky than those operating in a single market or niche. Many well-run conglomerates like Berkshire Hathaway and General Electric are much like funds in that they offer diversification and are less sensitive to general business cycles than more focused companies.
CONGLOMERATE Defined for English Language Learners
conglomerate
playDefinition of conglomerate for English Language Learners
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: a large business that is made of different kinds of companies
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: a kind of rock that is made from many stones of different sizes held together with hardened clay
CONGLOMERATE Defined for Kids
conglomerate
playDefinition of conglomerate for Students
1 : a mass (as a rock) formed of fragments from various sources
2 : a corporation engaging in many different kinds of business
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of conglomerate
: made up of parts from various sources or of various kinds
Medical Definition of conglomerate
conglomerated
;conglomerating
transitive verb
: to gather (something) into a mass or coherent wholeintransitive verb
: to gather into a mass or coherent whole
Medical Definition of conglomerate
: a composite mass or mixture
Law Dictionary
conglomerate
playLegal Definition of conglomerate
: a widely diversified company; especially : a corporation that acquires other companies whose activities are unrelated to the corporation's primary activity
Learn More about conglomerate
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for conglomerate Spanish Central: Translation of conglomerate Nglish: Translation of conglomerate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of conglomerate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conglomerate
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