Word: amalgamate (verb)

Associations

"Amalgamate" means to combine or unite two or more things into one. It is often used when talking about companies, ideas, or groups joining together.

• The two companies decided to amalgamate to become stronger in the market. This means they merged into one company.
• The schools amalgamated to create a larger educational institution. Here, two schools combined their resources.
• Different musical styles can amalgamate to create a new genre. This shows mixing ideas or styles. A synonym is "merge," but "amalgamate" often suggests a more complete or formal joining, sometimes with blending parts together, not just joining side by side.

Substitution

You can use words like "merge," "combine," "unite," or "blend" instead of "amalgamate."

• "Merge" is often used for companies or organizations joining.
• "Combine" is more general and can be used for objects, ideas, or actions.
• "Unite" focuses on bringing together people or groups, often with a shared purpose.
• "Blend" suggests mixing parts so they become inseparable.

Deconstruction

• Root: "Amalgam" means a mixture or blend, originally from Latin "amalgama," which referred to a mixture of mercury with another metal.
• Prefix: "A-" here is part of the root, not a separate prefix.
• Suffix: "-ate" is a verb-forming suffix that means to cause or make something happen. So, "amalgamate" literally means to cause things to mix or blend together.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where two different groups or ideas could amalgamate?
• How is amalgamating different from just joining or working together?
• Have you ever seen two things combine so closely that they become one new thing? What was it?