Word of the Day

: April 2, 2008

coalesce

verb koh-uh-LESS

What It Means

1 : to grow together

2 a : to unite into a whole : fuse

b : to unite for a common end : join forces

3 : to arise from the combination of distinct elements

coalesce in Context

The columnist urged party members to set aside their differences and coalesce around the candidate.

Did You Know?

"Coalesce" unites the prefix "co-" ("together") and the Latin verb "alescere," meaning "to grow." (The words "adolescent" and "adult" also grew from "alescere.") "Coalesce," which first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, is one of a number of verbs in English (along with "mix," "commingle," "merge," and "amalgamate") that refer to the act of combining parts into a whole. In particular, "coalesce" usually implies the merging of similar parts to form a cohesive unit.