First Known Use: circa 1656
Dictionary
coalesce
verb co·a·lesce \ˌkō-ə-ˈles\
: to come together to form one group or mass
co·a·lescedco·a·lesc·ing
Full Definition of COALESCE
intransitive verb
1
: to grow together
2
a : to unite into a whole : fuse <separate townships have coalesced into a single, sprawling colony — Donald Gould> b : to unite for a common end : join forces <people with different points of view coalesce into opposing factions — I. L. Horowitz>
3
: to arise from the combination of distinct elements <an organized and a popular resistance immediately coalesced — C. C. Menges>
transitive verb
: to cause to unite <sometimes a book coalesces a public into a mass market — Walter Meade>
— co·a·les·cence \-ˈle-sən(t)s\ noun
— co·a·les·cent \-sənt\ adjective
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Origin of COALESCE
Latin coalescere, from co- + alescere to grow — more at old
Related to COALESCE
Synonym Discussion of COALESCE
mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole. mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity <mix the salad greens> <mix a drink>. mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active <fear mingled with anticipation in my mind>. commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling <a sense of duty commingled with a fierce pride drove her>. blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture <blended several teas to create a balanced flavor>. merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole <in his mind reality and fantasy merged>. coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity <telling details that coalesce into a striking portrait>. amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities <refugees who were readily amalgamated into the community>. fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product <a building in which modernism and classicism are fused>.
Rhymes with COALESCE
ABS, acquiesce, baroness, bitter cress, CBS, convalesce, crown princess, DES, decompress, deliquesce, derepress, dispossess, due process, effervesce, effloresce, evanesce, full-court press, gentilesse, granny dress, in-process, inverness, Inverness, less and less, letterpress, luminesce, Lyonnesse, minidress, more or less, nonetheless, obsolesce, otherguess, overdress, pennycress, phosphoresce, politesse, prepossess, preprocess, recrudesce, repossess, reprocess, retrogress, second-guess, SOS, sweaterdress, underdress, watercress, window-dress, word process
Medical Dictionary
coalesce
intransitive verb co·alesce \ˌkō-ə-ˈles\
co·alescedco·alesc·ing
Medical Definition of COALESCE
: to grow together
—co·ales·cence \-ˈles-ən(t)s\ noun
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