conglomerate adj.

"gathered into a ball or rounded mass," 1570s, from Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare "to roll together, concentrate, heap up," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + glomerare "to gather into a ball, collect," from glomus (genitive glomeris) "a ball, ball-shaped mass," possibly from PIE *glem- (see glebe).

1809, in geology, "a rock made up of pebbles and other water-worn debris from previous rocks," from conglomerate (adj.). General sense of "anything comprised of heterogeneous or incongruous materials" is from 1831.  Specific sense "large business group" is from 1963, short for conglomerate corporation. Related: Conglomeratic.

1590s, transitive, "to form into a ball, to gather into a ball or round body," from Latin conglomeratus, past participle of conglomerare "to roll together, concentrate, heap up," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + glomerare "to gather into a ball, collect," from glomus (genitive glomeris) "a ball, ball-shaped mass," possibly from PIE *glem- (see glebe). Intransitive sense of "to come together in a rounded mass" is from 1640s. Related: Conglomerated; conglomerating.