con·glom·er·ate • n. / kənˈglämərət/ 1. a number of different things or parts that are put or grouped together to form a whole but remain distinct entities. ∎  a large corporation formed by the merging of separate and diverse firms.2. Geol. a coarse-grained sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments (> 2 mm) within a matrix of finer grained material.• adj. / kənˈglämərət/ of or relating to a conglomerate, esp. a large corporation: conglomerate businesses.• v. / -ˌrāt/ [intr.] gather together into a compact mass: atoms that conglomerate at the center. ∎  form a conglomerate by merging diverse businesses.DERIVATIVES: con·glom·er·a·tion / kənˌgläməˈrāshən/ n.ORIGIN: late Middle English (as an adjective describing something gathered up into a rounded mass): from Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare, from con- ‘together’ + glomus, glomer- ‘ball.’ The geological sense dates from the early 19th cent.; the other noun senses are later.

conglomerate †massed together XVI; (physiol.) of complex glands XVII; (geol.) formed of fragments cemented together (also sb.) XIX. — L. conglomerātus, pp. of conglomerāre, f. CON- + glomus, glomer- ball, rel. to globus GLOBE; see -ATE 2.
So conglomeration XVII.

conglomerate Coarse grained (rudaceous) rock with rounded clasts that are greater than 2mm in size. Conglomerates may be termed ‘intraformational’ if formed of local, recently deposited clasts, or ‘extraformational’ if the clasts are derived from outside the area of deposition. The term ‘polygenetic’ is used to describe a conglomerate rock that has been produced under a variety of conditions or processes.

Conglomerate

a mass of separate items collected into a ball; things closely crowded or gathered together into a coherent mass or whole.

Examples: conglomerate of anecdotes; of flowers; of fragments; of fruit and leaves, 1572; of geologists—Lipton, 1970; of gravel and ice, 1856; of useful or useless knowledge, 1864.

CONGLOMERATE

A corporation operating in several different and unrelated enterprises, such as the movie industry, baking, and oil refining.

A conglomerate merger is one that brings together two firms with totally different product lines, economic relationships, and functions. Such a merger may violate antitrust acts inasmuch as it may have an adverse effect on competition.