congeries

/kɔn'dʤiəri:z/

Thân thiện

A congeries of seashells, pebbles, and sea glass lay on the sandy beach.

Definition

Noun: A collection or aggregation of various, often disparate, items or things gathered into a mass or whole. It emphasizes the coming together of many different elements.

Examples

• The report was a congeries of statistics, anecdotes, and unsupported opinions.
• The attic contained a congeries of old furniture, books, and forgotten toys.
• His philosophy is not a single system but a congeries of ideas from different traditions.

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a neutral or slightly critical connotation, suggesting a jumble or heap rather than a carefully organized collection.
• It is typically used with a singular verb, as the word itself denotes a singular collective entity.
  • This strange congeries of objects forms the core of the artist's exhibit.

Variants and Related Words

• Congery (noun): A less common singular form with the same meaning.
  • A congerie of conflicting emotions.

Synonyms

• Aggregation
• Assemblage
• Collection
• Medley
• Miscellany

Idioms and Phrases

• A congeries of [things]: The standard phrasing used to introduce the various elements that make up the whole.
  • The policy was a congeries of compromises and last-minute additions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together

Từ đồng nghĩa

• aggregate
• conglomeration