coalesce

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 2, 2008 is: coalesce • \koh-uh-LESS\ • verb 1 : to grow together 2 a : to unite into a whole : fuse b : to unite for a common end : join forces 3 : to arise from the combination of distinct elements Examples: The columnist urged party members to set aside their differences and coalesce around the candidate. Did you know? "Coalesce" unites the prefix "co-" ("together") and the Latin verb "alescere," meaning "to grow." (The words "adolescent" and "adult" also grew from "alescere.") "Coalesce," which first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, is one of a number of verbs in English (along with "mix," "commingle," "merge," and "amalgamate") that refer to the act of combining parts into a whole. In particular, "coalesce" usually implies the merging of similar parts to form a cohesive unit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.