coalesce

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌkoʊəˈles/
• American: koh-uh-LESS

Origin

From Latin "coalescere": co- (together) + alescere (to grow up, increase)

Meanings

1. (v) To combine or grow together into a single unit or mass
2. (v) To unite or merge into one body, group, or substance
3. (technical/computing) To merge or combine multiple elements into a single unit while preserving the most relevant data

Example Sentences

1. "The small drops of mercury coalesced into a larger sphere."
2. "Over time, their different ideas began to coalesce into a coherent plan."
3. "The various political factions finally coalesced into a unified party."
4. "SQL uses the COALESCE function to return the first non-null value in a list."

Related Words

• Forms:

  • coalesced (past tense)
  • coalescing (present participle)
  • coalescence (noun)
  • coalescent (adjective)

• Synonyms:

  • merge
  • unite
  • combine
  • fuse
  • blend
  • consolidate

Memory Tricks

1. Break it down: "co" (together) + "alesce" (grow) = growing together
2. Think of coal pieces pressed together to form a single diamond
3. Remember "CO-ALL-EASE" - things coming together with ease
4. Visualize water droplets merging into a bigger drop - a common natural example of coalescence