aggregate
AG-ruh-git
/ˈæɡ.rɪ.ɡət/
A whole formed by combining several separate elements; or to gather into a single total sum.
Focuses on the combined macro-level total resulting from merging distinct, diverse sub-categories.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, a shepherd bringing scattered sheep together into a single herd was performing the action behind aggregare. The Latin root grex (flock) also gave us 'gregarious' (fond of flocking together) and 'egregious' (standing out from the flock). Today, modern economists use the word when bringing scattered national numbers into one giant herd.
Word relationships
- total: 'Total' is standard addition, while 'aggregate' carries a statistical emphasis on combining diverse subsets.
- sum: 'Sum' refers directly to the arithmetic result of adding numbers together.
- component: An individual constituent part making up the aggregate whole.
- individual unit: A single element viewed separately from the combined total.
Commonly confused with
- agglomeration: An agglomeration is a chaotic or random pile of things, while an aggregate is a structured statistical whole.
Word family
- aggregation (noun): The act or process of gathering distinct elements into a whole.
- aggregated (adjective): Formed by combining separate units into a single total.
Collocations
- aggregate demand
- aggregate supply
- in the aggregate
- aggregate data
Idioms & expressions
- in the aggregate
Example sentences
- "The aggregate demand in an economy measures the total expenditure on goods and services." Macroeconomic measurement (Economic Analysis Journal)
- "When research analysts aggregate survey responses from thousands of households, nationwide consumer trends become clear." Data processing
Memory hook
Think of an AGricultural GREx (flock) of sheep gathered TOGETHER into one grand total. Flocking individual numbers into one big whole.
When not to use
Do not use for a simple collection of identical items where individual parts remain separate; use when forming a summary total.
Fun facts
- The root grex means flock, which is why an aggregate is literally a flocking together of data points.
Explore more words
utilitarian, utilitarianism, aggregation, Marginal, amalgamate, amalgamation
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