rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -ation
English

-ation

an action, process, or result

Forms

  • -ation

Origin

Borrowed through French from Latin -atio, the form of an action ending used with many -are verbs.

Note

English speakers later attached this ending to bases that were not themselves Latin verbs.

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noun

amalgamation

uh-mal-guh-MAY-shun/əˌmælɡəˈmeɪʃn/

The combining of separate things into a unified whole.

The amalgamation of three clay lumps produces one larger marbled ball.

Three separate colored clay lumps merging into one larger marbled ball beneath two adult hands, combining into whole.
Etymology
amalgamEnglishto alloy with mercury
+ationEnglishan action, process, or result

Amalgamation first named the process of combining mercury with another metal. This metallurgical process supplied the image for joining separate things into one whole, including the merger of organizations.

In context

OpenInfra Foundation4:09
we built what we call a cloud controller and this is kind of the amalgamation of a really fast switch and a powerful uh compute platform
Introducing Nebula. Experience Turn-key Private Cloud

More examples

  • The report describes the amalgamation of several earlier traditions.
  • Employees discuss how the proposed amalgamation would affect their work.
  • Earlier amalgamations had already reduced the number of agencies.

Forms

amalgamation · amalgamations

amalgamate verb — To combine separate things into a whole.

Similar words

merger
Often describes formally joining organizations or businesses.
combination
Broader and does not necessarily imply a unified result.