Amalgamation

/əˌmælɡəˈmeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The process or result of combining different elements together to form a unified whole, or a merger of separate companies or organizations.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin amalgamatio, formed from amalgam plus the suffix -ation (indicating a process or result). Used in English since at least the 16th century in both metallurgical and figurative senses.

Kelly Says

The Great Amalgamation of the Indian tribes in the American South was one of the first attempts at forced cultural blending—and it completely failed because you can't actually amalgamate distinct peoples through government policy alone, as the subsequent Trail of Tears tragically demonstrated.

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